By Jeremy Binckes
That was Beto O’Rourke, a Democrat running against Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, interrupting a press conference the day after 19 students and two adults were killed in the deadliest school shooting in a decade . O’Rourke was escorted from the event, which was being held at the Uvalde (Texas) High School auditorium.
The interruption from O’Rourke, a political rival and active candidate on the campaign trail, did not sit well with the politicians during the somber moment. “Sit down,” responded Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. “You’re out of line and an embarrassment.”
Sen. Ted Cruz — who defeated O’Rourke in his re-election campaign in 2018, and was standing behind the state leaders — reprimanded O’Rourke: “Sit down and don’t play this stuff.”
Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin had harsh words for O’Rourke, calling him “a sick son of a bitch that would come to a deal like this to make a political issue.”
Read more: Texas gunman warned on social media he was going to shoot up school minutes before attack
After leaving the conference, O’Rourke continued speaking to reporters. “This 18-year-old, who just turned 18, bought an AR-15 and took it into an elementary school and shot kids in the face and killed them. Why are we letting this happen in this country? Why is this happening in this state?”
The candidate, who was trailing Abbott, according to RealClearPolitics polling averages , said, “I am going to do something and I am not alone.”
