The senate race between Beto O’Rourke and Ted Cruz is exactly that: Divisive. No better word could be used to describe the current social and political climate in our country, our state, and our city.

With the growing division in our country, it has become difficult for political moderates likes myself to find a candidate worth voting for. This senate race is no different than the circus that was the 2016 presidential election. I was forced to vote for what I perceived as the lesser of two evils. In this election I voted early, and I voted for Cruz.

Why I chose Cruz came down to the two issues I felt the strongest about: The security of our nation and our right to bear arms. While I don’t agree with everything Cruz says, his stance on border security and Second Amendment rights do align with mine.

“You know, I have many times summed up my views on immigration in four words: Legal, good. Illegal, bad,” Cruz said in a recent speech in Corpus Christi.
Cruz believes strongly in legal immigration to the United States. As a first-generation American citizen, Cruz’s father fled Cuba to seek political asylum in the U.S. He is an individual who understands the plight of immigrants seeking to enter our country, while also understanding that immigrating can be done legally.

Nothing highlights the need for stronger border security in Texas than a recent report done by the Texas Department of Public Safety in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security that gives a statistical analysis of crimes committed in Texas by illegal aliens between the years 2011 and 2018.

Two hundred and sixty-seven thousand criminal aliens have been booked into Texas jails between June 1, 2011 and Sept. 30, 2018. This has resulted in 115,000 total convictions. By the numbers: 232 homicide convictions; 3,049 burglary convictions; 17,189 drug convictions; 161 kidnapping convictions; 6,892 theft convictions; 10,957 obstructing police convictions; 972 robbery convictions; 1,619 sexual assault convictions; and 1,229 weapon convictions.

This only represents a small minority of illegal immigrants, and in no way is this an attempt to paint all illegal immigrants as criminals. However, what this does show is that illegal immigration in Texas is a problem, and crimes are being committed against Texas citizens. A strong border is exactly what Texas needs to make its citizens safe.

“The Second Amendment is about something very fundamental,” Cruz said in 2016 during a campaign stop in Johnson, Iowa. “It’s about the God-given right of every single one of us to protect our home, our families and our lives.”

Our founding fathers understood that the Second Amendment is a natural right that enabled us to defend ourselves, our property, and our family. Cruz echoes these sentiments and O’Rourke does not.

My core ideals of a strong, safe nation that allows me to protect myself and my family are more closely aligned with Cruz’s ideals than O’Rourke’s. My beliefs may not be popular amongst my classmates, but I felt I was voting in the best interest of Texans. Time will tell whether Texans agreed with my choice or not.