Trump knocks O'Rourke, gives light attention to Houston congressional races

President Donald Trump embraces Senator Ted Cruz as he arrives to the podium during the MAGA Rally at the Toyota Center, Monday, Oct. 22, 2018, in Houston. President Donald Trump embraces Senator Ted Cruz as he arrives to the podium during the MAGA Rally at the Toyota Center, Monday, Oct. 22, 2018, in Houston. Photo: Marie D. De Jesús, Staff Photographer Photo: Marie D. De Jesús, Staff Photographer Image 1 of / 90 Caption Close Trump rally in Houston, Oct. 22, 2018 1 / 90 Back to Gallery

President Donald Trump on Monday called Rep. Beto O'Rourke "a stone-cold phony" and took a few sharp jabs at Sen. Ted Cruz's Democratic opponent, but otherwise focused on national issues while praising Cruz and a laundry list of Texas Republicans.

Trump, in Houston for a rally to support Cruz, also encouraged the Toyota Center crowd to vote for Rep. John Culberson, acknowledging the nine-term Republican faces a tough re-election challenge. He is up against trial lawyer Lizzie Pannill Fletcher, a Democrat, in the 7th Congressional District.

Cruz ticked through his top hits from the stump, continuing to cast O'Rourke as too far liberal for Texas. Trump echoed Cruz's harsh criticism for O'Rourke's stances on gun control and immigration, denouncing the El Paso Democrat for saying immigrant gang members are "people," not "animals."

At the end of his speech, Cruz indicated he would not seek the Republican presidential nomination next election.

"I'm going to make a prediction to every person here: In 2020, Donald Trump will be overwhelmingly re-elected as president of the United States," Cruz said. "I look forward to campaigning alongside him in 2020."

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Trump acknowledged that he and Cruz "had our little difficulties" and "it got nasty" during the 2016 Republican presidential primary, when Trump called Cruz "Lyin' Ted." But he commended Cruz for doing a "beautiful job staring down an angry left-wing mob" during the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

"Nobody has helped me more with your tax cuts, with your regulations, with all of the things that we're doing, including military and our vets, than Senator Ted Cruz. Nobody," Trump said.

Trump also told the crowd to vote for Rep. Ted Poe, who is not seeking re-election to Texas' 2nd Congressional District. Republican Dan Crenshaw is battling Democrat Todd Litton for the seat.

Aside from his praise for members of the Texas congressional delegation, Trump lauded Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick — Trump's 2016 Texas campaign chair — and Sen. John Cornyn. The three Republicans spoke Monday before Cruz and Trump's stump speeches.

Otherwise, Trump continued to claim the caravan of migrants heading from Central America to the U.S. was supported by Democrats, without evidence to back up the claim. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders on Monday said the administration has evidence that people from the Middle East are part of the caravan, but did not provide evidence.

Abbott, Cornyn and Patrick, appearing in that order, freely bashed O'Rourke while lauding Trump's record and his impact on the Texas economy.

"Isn't it great to have a president who lives up to his campaign promises? He promised you he would cut your taxes, and he did," Abbott said. "He promised you that he would cut regulations, and he did."

At one point, Trump said Abbott asked him for $10 billion in federal funding for an infrastructure project, which he jokingly said should be called "the Trump Dam."

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Patrick addressed the crowd with the most gusto of the three, railing against Democrats who are hoping for a "blue wave" in Texas. And he joked that O'Rourke's name stands for "Border Enforcement Totally Optional."

"Why are we here? To tell Beto O'Rourke and the Democrats we're not turning Texas into California," Patrick said. Near the end, he led the crowd in a chant of "We love Trump!" and said emphatically, "We will never give up Texas!"

Meanwhile, O'Rourke pushed back over the weekend against the partisan undertones in Abbott's and Cruz's message.

In an interview with the Houston Chronicle on Sunday night in Sugar Land, he said this election isn't about Texas being red or blue.

"Who cares about the partisan color of Texas?" O'Rourke said. "I could give a damn about what party you are in."

The rally, Trump's 29th of the year, drew what appeared to be a mostly full crowd at an arena that holds about 18,000 people. Trump's campaign reported thousands more had signed up in the hopes of attending.

Cornyn followed Abbott onstage and warned of "job-killing California-style mandates," calling Texas "the firewall in this midterm election."

"I need Ted Cruz back in the Senate," Cornyn said. "Texas needs Ted Cruz back in the Senate."

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Some of Abbott's Republican allies from the Texas Legislature attended, including state Sens. Paul Bettencourt, Dawn Buckingham, Donna Campbell and Bryan Hughes. Newly elected state Sen. Pete Flores also attended the rally.

Members of the crowd donned "Trump-Pence 2020" and pink "Women for Trump" shirts. They held up signs reading "Finish the Wall" and "Stand for America." Chants of 'USA' repeatedly echoed through the arena.

Outside but away from the line to enter the arena, protesters and conservative provocateurs, including Infowars host Alex Jones, verbally jousted.

Staff writers Jeremy Wallace and Nicole Hensley contributed reporting.