Gregg Popovich Endorses Beto O'Rourke in Texas Senate Race
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/popovich-endorses-beto-orourke-751763/
November 4, 2018 4:37PM ET
Gregg Popovich Endorses Beto ORourke in Texas Senate Race
Hes classy. Hes thoughtful. Hes intelligent. Hes civil, San Antonio Spurs coach says of candidate
By Peter Wade
Beloved San Antonio Spurs coach and outspoken progressive Gregg Popovich donned a Beto ORourke hat at practice on Friday, and the next day confirmed his support for the Democratic congressman who hopes to oust incumbent Republican Sen. Ted Cruz in Texas.
Just go vote for Beto, Popovich said on Saturday, as reported by Project Spurss Paul Garcia. Hes a special guy. Especially in the times were in now, and you get so tired of all the lies and divisiveness and fear-mongering and race-baiting. It just diminishes all of us. It makes us feel strange. And when I think of Beto, or I listen to what he says, I feel like what I thought America was supposed to be. Hes classy. Hes thoughtful. Hes intelligent. Hes civil.
Popovich went on to praise ORourke for visiting every county in Texas. (As one Richard Linklater-directed political ad snarkily pointed out, Teds been to every county
in Iowa.)
Hes been everywhere, because he cares about all the people, and he doesnt deal with PACs and corporations and all that kind of thing. He just does the work, Popovich said, noting that ORourke has not taken any PAC money for his campaign.
Were all looking for leaders, he continued, Leaders are courageous. Leaders conduct themselves based on their standards, their principles. They have courage of their convictions. They dont genuflect. They dont kiss up for their own personal gain. Hes out for the people. He wants everything to be fair. He wants justice. He wants our democratic institutions to be respected so that were proud of being Americans.
He also took a swipe at Cruzs campaign tactics of division, calling them very scary. Thats about self. Thats not about the rest of us. Beto is the exact opposite of that. Thats why I think hes great, he said.
This is far from Pops first foray in to politics. He has been vocally anti-Trump, calling him a soulless coward and a pathological liar
unfit intellectually, emotionally, and psychologically to hold this office.
The Texas senate race is one of the most hotly-contested midterm elections, and Texans are clearly motivated to turn out at the polls. By the end of early voting Friday, voter turnout had already surpassed that of the 2014 midterms in the states 30 largest counties.