John Brennan endorses Beto O’Rourke for Senate

Former CIA Director John O. Brennan endorsed Democrat Robert Francis “Beto” O’Rourke Friday in his bid for a Texas Senate seat.

“As a former resident of Texas and a proud UT-Austin alumnus, I believe Beto O’Rourke is the type of individual Texans need in the U.S. Senate to represent their best interests,” Mr. Brennan tweeted. “He has the integrity, intellect and character that is in short supply in Congress. Vote!”

Mr. O’Rourke, a three-term congressman representing Texas’s 16th District, is challenging long-time incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz in a heated race. As a vocal and outspoken critic of President Trump, Mr. Brennan’s endorsement counters Mr. Trump, who rallied for Mr. Cruz.

Though Mr. O’Rourke has been enthusiastically embraced by the Democratic Party, he is trailing in the polls with less than a week before Election Day. Real Clear Politics has Mr. Cruz ahead by an average of 6.5 percentage points.

Mr. Cruz slammed Mr. Brennan after the endorsement, highlighting the former CIA director’s vote for a member of the Communist Party USA in 1976.

“Brennan led the CIA while we undermined and weakened Israel, strengthened North Korea, ignored ISIS, and gave billions to Iran,” Mr. Cruz tweeted. “Birds of a feather…”