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O’Rourke drops f-bomb on live TV during concession to Cruz

Posted at 4:00 AM, Nov 07, 2018
and last updated 2018-11-07 05:04:11-05

EL PASO, Texas (AP) – Rep. Beto O’Rourke didn’t go quietly to defeat.

Thanking his campaign supporters for their spirited challenge to Sen. Ted Cruz, he said on live television Tuesday: “All of you, showing the country how you do this. I’m so f—ing proud of you guys.”

The Texas Democrat has been known to drop f-bombs in public throughout the fierce campaign. But this time, he was broadcast on MSNBC, prompting anchor Brian Williams to apologize as the network cut away from the speech.

He told thousands of supporters in El Paso that Tuesday’s loss “does nothing to diminish how I feel about Texas or this country.”

O’Rourke said the movement he started would continue in some form saying, “We will see you out there, down the road.”

Cruz held off the Democratic rising star to win re-election. O’Rourke attracted a national following, shattered fundraising records and picked up several celebrity endorsements, including Beyonce posting pictures of herself Tuesday on Instagram wearing a Beto baseball cap.

O’Rourke was within 3 points of Cruz in Tuesday’s midterm. It was the closest finish in a Texas Senate race in 40 years.

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