Liveblog: Cruz and Dewhurst in Third GOP Runoff Debate in Houston

Enlargephoto by: Marjorie Kamys Cotera

July 23rd, 2012: US Senate candidates Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz during debate in Houston, Texas

HOUSTON - An unusual format made for a unusual debate Monday evening in Houston.

On the first day of early voting in the July 31 primary runoffs, Lt. Gov.?David Dewhurst?and former Texas Solicitor General?Ted Cruz?participated in their third televised debate of the runoff in an hourlong event hosted by King Street Patriots and Fox 26, a Houston affiliate.

In front of an audience of more than 350 people, the candidates answered about a dozen questions, all of which came from voters in the room or via social media.

Neither candidate was permitted to rebut his opponent?s remarks, creating a situation in which both Dewhurst and Cruz freely attacked one other but found few chances to defend themselves.

Though attendees were told in advance to refrain from audibly responding to either of the candidates during the debate, one attendee yelled, ?Liar? and another shouted, ?Not true? at different points. The candidates ignored them.

At one point, Cruz accused Dewhurst of ?maligning? Cruz?s patriotism with ads about Cruz?s work as an appellate lawyer for a Chinese tire manufacturer. Dewhurst denied that, prompting Cruz to briefly break the rules and challenge Dewhurst to explain what he meant by?a mailer?that featured Cruz?s face in front of a Chinese flag.

Dewhurst senior adviser Jim Bognet said after the debate that the Dewhurst campaign was questioning Cruz?s ?judgment and values, not his patriotism."

This was the fifth televised event for Republicans Dewhurst and Cruz, after?one debate?and one?candidate forum?during the primary, each of which also featured other candidates, and?two previous?one-on-one debates?during the runoff.

Both candidates plan to spend the week furiously campaigning across the state, trying to turn out their voters and using the influence of prominent Republicans to help them do it.?Dewhurst voted early Monday morning in Austin alongside Gov.?Rick Perry. Cruz will appear at a rally in Dallas with pundit Glenn Beck and former U.S. Rep.?Dick Armey?on Friday ? the last day of early voting before the Tuesday, July 31 election.

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Source: http://www.texastribune.org/texas-politics/2012-elections/liveblog-cruz-and-dewhurst-third-runoff-debate/?utm_source=texastribune.org&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=Tribune%20Feed:%20Main%20Feed

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