WASHINGTON — Just how eager are Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Beto O'Rourke to debate?

Chaotic developments in the Senate left a contentious Supreme Court nomination hanging over lawmakers for the weekend, prompting Cruz to seek postponement of Sunday night's debate.



His team informed O'Rourke and the hosts Thursday night, and on Friday morning, the University of Houston announced that the debate was off. But within hours, after dizzying twists and turns for Judge Brett Kavanaugh, Cruz aides circled back. The Senate was off duty for the weekend after all, and the senator could make it.

It was too late. O'Rourke's team said the congressman was booked and couldn't make it.

"They were quite clear that the debate was OFF, which they decided to put in capital letters" in an email, O'Rourke campaign spokesman Chris Evans said Saturday by phone. For four days of uncertainty over Kavanaugh and the Senate calendar, "we all stayed flexible, but when they sent an email to all of us saying Sunday's debate is off, we all had to plan accordingly."

Emails provided by both campaigns show that the Cruz team did call off the debate, at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday Dallas time, and tried to reverse course Friday afternoon, once the Senate calendar shifted.



"So... wild day. With all the craziness today sen Schumer and McConnell got together and allowed tomorrow to be a voice vote so attendance was not required. [Cruz] is on the last flight home tonight and will be campaigning tomorrow and can debate if we want to pull the rip cord Sunday to keep the debate," Cruz campaign manager Jeff Roe wrote to the debate hosts Friday night in an email provided by the campaign.