Beto O'Rourke says Pelosi, Schumer don't understand Texas Ted Cruz kickoff featured jabs at Mitch McConnell

U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, greets supporters at the Brandon Community Center after a town hall event in Lufkin on Feb. 9, 2018. (Tamir Kalifa/The New York Times) U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, greets supporters at the Brandon Community Center after a town hall event in Lufkin on Feb. 9, 2018. (Tamir Kalifa/The New York Times) Photo: TAMIR KALIFA, STR / NYT Photo: TAMIR KALIFA, STR / NYT Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Beto O'Rourke says Pelosi, Schumer don't understand Texas 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and Democrat Beto O'Rourke have sharply different views on many issues, but the two rivals are both making it clear to voters that they are running against the leadership of their own parties as much as they are taking on one another.

O'Rourke was far from subtle when he was asked during an CNN interview Friday about Democratic leaders in Congress expressing a willingness to discuss a border wall as part of a broader immigration reform bill.

"With all due respect to Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, neither of them understand Texas, nor do they understand the U.S.-Mexico border," O'Rourke said.

A few hours later at a campaign stop in San Saba, O'Rourke made clear that the is not only shunning political action committee money, but also pushing back against intervention from the Democratic National Committee.

"We're going to do this independent of the party bosses," O'Rourke said, reminding the audience that he voted against making Pelosi the minority leader.

His comments come despite Schumer and Pelosi both being in Houston earlier this year and touting O'Rourke.

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Cruz also is not shy about reminding voters of his standing up against the GOP leadership.

During a campaign rally just outside Houston last week, Cruz had conservative talk show host Michael Berry introduce him. Berry reminded Cruz supporters that Arizona Sen. John McCain had called Cruz a wacko bird and Cruz had voted in opposition of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell more than 80 times. Both triggered a round of applause from more than 1,000 Cruz supporters at the Redneck Country Club in Stafford.

"He did not make friends with his fellow senators," Berry said. "He went there to represent you."

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Both candidates' attempts to distance themselves from their party brand and congressional leaders is not surprising given recent polling. A University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll earlier this year showed just 19 percent of Texas had a favorable view of the job Congress is doing.

Jeremy Wallace writes about state politics and government for the Chronicle. Follow him on Twitter at @JeremySWallace.