O'Rourke slams 'jokers' for passing voting limits in Texas
"These jokers can't even keep the lights on or the heat on or the water running, when the temperature drops in Texas. Now they want to take over our elections?" O'Rourke said during a voting rights rally in Austin, Texas.
He added: "They're trying to stop more people from voting in a state that is already the toughest in America in which to vote. "
Texas joined other Republican-controlled states on Friday in advancing a slew of new voting restrictions, defying opposition from many of the state's businesses and adding to a fierce national debate over voting rights.
The state House of Representatives in Austin gave the legislation preliminary approval on Friday after hours of debate before delivering final approval, largely along party lines.
Members of the House and the state Senate, which passed its own bill imposing voting limits last month, will now work to reconcile the two bills before sending a finalized version to Republican Governor Greg Abbott, who has indicated he will sign it.
Other states, including Georgia and Florida, have also enacted Republican-backed voting curbs after Republican former President Donald Trump falsely claimed his loss to Democrat Joe Biden in last year's presidential election was the result of massive voter fraud.
