Senator Ted Cruz of Texas posted a tweet on Sunday evening that has raised eyebrows and sparked outrage. The tweet in question contains a video clip of the senator saying, “Not gonna happen, Beto,” referring to his former opponent Beto O’Rourke. The caption of the tweet reads, “Not satire.”
Many Twitter users have interpreted this as an implicit threat to O’Rourke, who is reportedly considering running for governor of Texas in 2022. However, others have defended Cruz’s statement as simply a playful jab at his political rival.
This is not the first time that Cruz has faced criticism for his controversial statements on social media. In 2017, he liked a pornographic tweet from his official Twitter account and later blamed it on a staffer.
While some may see Cruz’s latest tweet as harmless banter between political opponents, others argue that it sets a dangerous precedent for elected officials using their platforms to intimidate or threaten their opponents.