AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – A Texas Republican Party tweet recalling Senate hopeful Beto O’Rourke’s past arrests has caused a stir, but not in the way it was likely intended.
The party was chiding O’Rourke for failing to yet settle on dates for debates with Republican incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz. Tuesday night it tweeted an O’Rourke mugshot.
O’Rourke was arrested in 1995, but misdemeanor burglary charges were later dropped. In 1998, he was arrested for driving while intoxicated, but that case was dismissed when O’Rourke attended driver classes.
Some users responded by posting mugshots of Republican former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who was indicted on 2014 abuse of power charges that were subsequently dismissed by the state Supreme Court.
Others offered Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s mugshot. He’s awaiting trial on securities fraud charges.
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