O'Rourke is a two-term El Paso Democrat with a progressive agenda similar to Bernie Sanders'. He's for universal health care, favors Dreamers and supports marijuana legalization. Cruz is a hardline conservative who was defeated by Donld Trump in the 2016 presidential primaries.
On Real Time with Bill Maher on Mar. 16, the host predictably asked the Congressman specifically where he stands on the marijuana issue (cue to 9:30 in above clip).
O'Rourke: "I've joined a bill written by a Republican colleague, a former prosecutor who waged the War on Drugs and saw how futile it was from the front lines, to end federal marijuana prohibition." (Note: He was referring to the Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2017-2018 sponsored by Virginia Republican Rep. Tom Garrett.)
Rep. Beto O’Rourke on "Real Time"
'I've joined a bill to end federal marijuana prohibition.'
Maher: "So legal in Texas?"
O'Rourke: "It should be. We should control and regulate its sale... We have a chance to do the right thing. We have the world's largest prison population bar none. We have folks who are wasting away behind bars. They should be raising families, working, paying taxes, starting jobs, touring in punk-rock bands, writing novels, whatever they're supposed to be doing in life. Let's allow them to do that rather than lock them up." (Note: O'Rourke played bass in the punk-rock band Foss before he went into politics. See clip below with O'Rourke on the left side.)
