Sen. Ted Cruz re-elected to Senate in Texas, beating Rep. Beto O'Rourke

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Wednesday, November 7, 2018
Senator Ted Cruz speaks ahead of Monday night rally
Sen. Ted Cruz (right) gave insight into what makes his campaign different from Rep. Beto O'Rourke's and what Houston's vote means to him.

HOUSTON, Texas -- Republican incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz has won his bid for re-election in Texas, ABC News projects.

As polls closed across most of Texas, supporters of both candidates in the closely watched U.S. Senate race gathered at opposite ends of the state.

Thousands of Rep. Beto O'Rourke's supporters have been watching the election results at a minor league baseball stadium in the Texas Democratic senate candidate's native El Paso.

At U.S. Cruz's party in Houston, a line of people waited to enter the hotel ballroom, chanting "Ted! Ted!"

Some in the crowd wore red "Make America Great Again" baseball caps. Cruz has held his seat since 2013.

In the months leading up to the election, polls showed Cruz defeating O'Rourke by as many as nine points.

On Election Day, some outlets, such as FiveThirtyEight predicted that Cruz, the incumbent, had a 7 in 9 chance of keeping the seat.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.