Beto O’Rourke and Ted Cruz inch closer to debating

In this Aug. 25, 2018, file photo, Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz speaks at a town hall event in Odessa, Texas. In this Aug. 25, 2018, file photo, Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz speaks at a town hall event in Odessa, Texas. Photo: James Durbin, MBR / Associated Press Photo: James Durbin, MBR / Associated Press Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Beto O’Rourke and Ted Cruz inch closer to debating 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

Democrat Beto O’Rourke and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz both said their campaigns are getting close to a deal on debates.

“Both sides are talking,” O’Rourke said after an event in Austin on Tuesday. “I’m confident we’ll work something out. I’m pretty confident we’re going to see debates.”

On WBAP New Talk Radio with host Chris Salcedo, Cruz also confirmed that they are getting close to an agreement.

“He has had his staff members emailing back and forth with my campaign,” Cruz said. “They may agree to a couple of debates. They’re going back and forth about dates and this and that.”

Still, Cruz used the radio interview to say that it seems like O’Rourke, an El Paso Congressman, doesn’t want to debate because he refused a set of showdowns Cruz proposed that would have started on Friday night.

O’Rourke said he rejected that plan because Cruz’s campaign made it an “ultimatum” where they would choose the time, the place, the moderators and what issues could be talked about. O’Rourke said the Cruz campaign was giving him zero input in how the debates would be set up. O’Rourke specifically has objected to all of the debates being on Friday nights and Cruz getting to dictate topics.

“We just said look, it’s got to be a collaborative process,” O’Rourke said.

Both camps have insisted they want to debate, despite the risks for each candidate.

jeremy.wallace@chron.com

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