Perhaps it would have been better for Texas Democrats like Beto O'Rourke and Lupe Valdez not to debate their Republican opponents in a state dominated by such a conservative electorate.

Then again, some other political storm, like the fight in Washington over Judge Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court, would have caused Republicans to make their way home instead of fancying a crossover vote for O'Rourke or another new-breed Democrat.

The midterm elections are now a series of base fights up and down the ballot. That helps Democrats in places like Dallas County, where they control countywide politics and have room to grow.

But in statewide contests, a turnout fight between the two major parties favors Republicans. They have hundreds of thousands more voters to rely on, as is evident from the fact that Democrats haven't won a statewide contest since 1994. The numbers don't deceive.

For most of the summer, O'Rourke was on a roll.

He has mounted a brilliant campaign and given Democrats hope that they can make history. His campaign has raised more money than Cruz's campaign. There is evidence that he does have some support from Republican and independent voters dissatisfied with Cruz or captivated by his positive message. Indeed O'Rourke is a Texas phenomenon, but that doesn't mean he'll win.

Though most polls have shown him in striking distance of Cruz, the latest Quinnipiac survey was bad news. It revealed that Cruz had opened a 9-point lead with voters likely to show up at the polls.

The release of that poll was followed by the first debate between O'Rourke and Cruz, when the incumbent Republican strategically suggested that his Democratic rival is a socialist. The drama unfolded in front of a partisan crowd at Southern Methodist University and hundreds of thousands watching throughout Texas and the nation.

Before the debate, O'Rourke's positions, which are liberal but not socialist, were obscured by his mega-rallies in an unorthodox campaign that eschews consultants and money from political action committees. But during the debate, Cruz made sure his conservative base knew what was at stake.

O'Rourke is not ashamed of his views. And he wants Texans to come together and lead the nation in solving problems related to immigration, health care, criminal justice reform and education.

The problem: More conservatives vote in Texas than Democrats. So if O'Rourke wants to win, he needs to dramatically increase the number of Democrats participating in the midterm elections.

The situation is more dire for Valdez. The former Dallas County sheriff didn't move the ball during her Friday night debate against incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott. He has a big lead on her in the polls.

Now conservatives have another reason to stick together. The saga over Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court could cost Republicans support from suburban women. But it's more likely to result in the GOP closing ranks, much like it did with Donald Trump in 2016.

Remember that after the Access Hollywood video featuring Trump discussing groping and kissing women without permission, it was thought Trump was finished with women voters. Exit polls show he actually got 52 percent of the white women's vote, suggesting that Republicans didn't care about his actions.

The troubling allegations against Kavanaugh could also sink his nomination, but also create a partisan divide that refocuses elections across the state, even in Texas.

He has forcefully denied any wrongdoing.

Cruz is betting that most conservatives will stick with Kavanaugh, and in the process his own candidacy. That hurts Texas Democrats running statewide.

O'Rourke's quest to be a crossover candidate is a noble undertaking.

But politics is a team sport, and Texas voters don't like switching jerseys.