FORT WORTH — Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said Wednesday his challenger, Rep. Beto O'Rourke, is too liberal for conservative Texas.

In an interview with The Dallas Morning News and KXAS-TV (NBC5), Cruz said O'Rourke supports open borders, higher taxes, more regulation, aggressive gun control and the Affordable Care Act.

"Congressman O'Rourke is running far, far to the left," said Texas' junior senator. "Most campaigns in Texas, in the general election, try to pretend to move to the middle, try to pretend to be centrist. Congressman O'Rourke is not doing that. He's running like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren."

But O'Rourke rejected the notion that his ideas were too liberal for Texans. He said that Texans at the 230 counties he's visited wanted improved public education, affordable health care, jobs that pay above a living wage and immigration reform.

"These aren't liberal or conservative ideas, they're just the ideas and goals of Texans," he said. "And that's how we're running this campaign -- showing up, listening to Republicans, Democrats, and independents alike, and following the lead of those we meet along the way."

Cruz conceded that he's concerned about O'Rourke's stout fundraising, telling reporters after his speech that he did not haul in as much as O'Rourke snagged for the reporting period that ended last month. The El Paso Democrat raised $6.7 million in the first quarter of 2018..

But Cruz said he's "comforted" by the belief that there are more conservatives in Texas than liberals.

"They're not in step with what Texans want," Cruz said. "There are people on the far left, but there are a lot more conservatives. ... If conservatives show up in November and vote, I think we'll have a good election."

Cruz made an appearance Wednesday at the River Ranch in the Fort Worth Stockyards for the final stop of his campaign kickoff tour. He also made stops in Midland, Amarillo and Wichita Falls.

He opened his general election bid Monday at the Redneck Country Club in Stafford near Houston, unveiling his new "Tough as Texas” slogan and hitting familiar themes like defending the Constitution, protecting gun rights and securing the country's southern border with Mexico.

He echoed those sentiments Wednesday in Fort Worth in an event that paid tribute to law enforcement heroes. Cruz was joined by the families of three of the five Dallas police officers killed by a sniper in 2016. The senator also honored Fort Worth police officer Matt Pearce and Department of Public Safety trooper Danny Shaw Jr. , both severely injured in the line of duty.

"It's wonderful to have a chance to be with Texans and to celebrate Texans," Cruz said.

At the Fort Worth rally he said "in Texas we are incredibly blessed because we are surrounded by heroes."

1 / 13Sen. Ted Cruz addresses supporters at a campaign event at River Ranch Stockyards on Wednesday, April 4, 2018, in Fort Worth, Texas. (Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) 2 / 13Sen. Ted Cruz addresses supporters during a campaign event at River Ranch Stockyards on Wednesday, April 4, 2018, in Fort Worth, Texas. (Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) 3 / 13Sen. Ted Cruz takes the stage to address supporters during a campaign event at River Ranch Stockyards on Wednesday, April 4, 2018, in Fort Worth, Texas. (Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) 4 / 13Rememberances for the families of fallen law enforcement officers rest on the stage during a campaign event for Sen. Ted Cruz at River Ranch Stockyards on Wednesday, April 4, 2018, in Fort Worth, Texas. (Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) 5 / 13The family of fallen DART Police Officer Brent Thompson bows their heads in prayer during a campaign event for Sen. Ted Cruz at River Ranch Stockyards on Wednesday, April 4, 2018, in Fort Worth, Texas. (Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) 6 / 13Members of the Fort Worth Police Pipes & Drums observe a moment of silence for fallen police officers during at a campaign event for Sen. Ted Cruz at River Ranch Stockyards on Wednesday, April 4, 2018, in Fort Worth, Texas. (Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) 7 / 13A rose sits on a single chair, placed on the stage to symbolize fallen law enforcement officers, during a campaign event for Sen. Ted Cruz at River Ranch Stockyards on Wednesday, April 4, 2018, in Fort Worth, Texas. (Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) 8 / 13Sen. Ted Cruz addresses supporters during a campaign event at River Ranch Stockyards on Wednesday, April 4, 2018, in Fort Worth, Texas. (Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) 9 / 13Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn is silhouetted against a screen during a campaign event for Sen. Ted Cruz at River Ranch Stockyards on Wednesday, April 4, 2018, in Fort Worth, Texas. (Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) 10 / 13Sen. Ted Cruz poses for photos with supporters during a campaign event at River Ranch Stockyards on Wednesday, April 4, 2018, in Fort Worth, Texas.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) 11 / 13Supporters gather for a photo during a campaign event for Sen. Ted Cruz at River Ranch Stockyards on Wednesday, April 4, 2018, in Fort Worth, Texas. (Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) 12 / 13Sen. Ted Cruz talks with reporters following a campaign event at River Ranch Stockyards on Wednesday, April 4, 2018, in Fort Worth, Texas. (Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) 13 / 13Sen. Ted Cruz departs in the "Texas Cruzer" campaign vehicle following a campaign event at River Ranch Stockyards on Wednesday, April 4, 2018, in Fort Worth, Texas. (Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)

Cruz was first elected in 2012, rising from about 2 percent in most polls to stun then-Lt Gov. David Dewhurst in a runoff. He went on to beat former Rep. Paul Sadler of Henderson in the general election.

For that campaign, Cruz relied on the exploding tea party movement to fuel his grassroots run. For this race, he's an incumbent who has run for president, finishing second in the GOP primary to President Donald Trump.

"I think of Texas as America on steroids," Cruz said.

Cruz acknowledged that his 2018 re-election bid was different than his original Senate campaign.

"My job is simple," he said. "Make sure conservatives show up and vote."