Sen. Ted Cruz Rafael (Ted) Edward CruzThe Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Washington on edge amid SCOTUS vacancy Murkowski: Supreme Court nominee should not be taken up before election Battle lines drawn on precedent in Supreme Court fight MORE's (R-Texas) Democratic challenger says in a new interview that he doesn't "publicly" believe Cruz is an "asshole," apparently walking back the sentiment from a recent appearance on HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher."

Rep. Beto O'Rourke Beto O'RourkeJimmy Carter says his son smoked pot with Willie Nelson on White House roof O'Rourke endorses Kennedy for Senate: 'A champion for the values we're most proud of' 2020 Democrats do convention Zoom call MORE (D-Texas) told The New York Times's Frank Bruni he was just "moving the conversation along" when he replied "that's true" after Maher told him, “don’t forget, [Cruz is] a giant asshole.”

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“I think I was just moving the conversation along,” O'Rourke said in the interview published Saturday. “Anyhow, I don’t think that Ted Cruz is an asshole.”

“I certainly don’t think that publicly,” he added, when pressed.

O'Rourke is trying to unseat Cruz in a state that hasn't elected a Democratic senator in decades. He outraised the fiery Texas Republican in the first months of 2018.

O'Rourke, a progressive Democrat backed by Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersJacobin editor: Primarying Schumer would force him to fight Trump's SCOTUS nominee Trump campaign plays up Biden's skills ahead of Cleveland debate: 'He's actually quite good' Young voters backing Biden by 2:1 margin: poll MORE's Our Revolution campaign group, raises his money without accepting donations from PACs.

“Folks, though, will never have to wonder who it is I represent or who I’m voting for,” O’Rourke said on Maher's show last month. “It’s going to be the people of Texas, every single time.”

O’Rourke raised $2.3 million in the first six weeks of 2018 compared to $800,000 raised by Cruz in the same period. Cruz still has an overall cash advantage on his challenger.

Cruz won his first election to Senate in 2012, taking 56.6 percent of the vote to Democrat Paul Sadler's 40.5 percent. In 2016, President Trump Donald John TrumpBubba Wallace to be driver of Michael Jordan, Denny Hamlin NASCAR team Graham: GOP will confirm Trump's Supreme Court nominee before the election Southwest Airlines, unions call for six-month extension of government aid MORE won the state over Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonJoe Biden looks to expand election battleground into Trump country Biden leads Trump by 12 points among Catholic voters: poll The Hill's Campaign Report: Biden goes on offense MORE (D) with 52.6 percent of the vote.