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TEXAS SENATE DEBATE: Watch Cruz and O'Rourke here - Friday @ 6 p.m.

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Democratic opponent Beto O'Rourke hold their first debate Friday evening at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke are set to square off on the debate stage for the first time Friday evening in Dallas.

The 6 p.m. event at Southern Methodist University is the first of three hourlong debates, and it comes as polls continue to show a tight race between Cruz and O’Rourke, an El Paso congressman. On Friday morning, the Cook Political Report changed its rating of the race from “Lean Republican” to “Toss Up.”

The Dallas debate is being presented by SMU, NBC 5/KXAS and The Dallas Morning News. A live stream of the debate will appear on this page.

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The topic of the debate is domestic policy, and it will be moderated by NBC 5 political reporter Julie Fine and Dallas Morning News political writer Gromer Jeffers. Both candidates will stand at podiums before a 240-person audience.

The next debate will be Sept. 30 in Houston. KENS 5 will host the final debate Oct. 16 in San Antonio. Early voting begins Oct. 22.

It was only a week ago that O’Rourke and Cruz had announced an agreement to hold three debates, capping weeks of negotiations between their campaigns.

O’Rourke first challenged Cruz to six debates in May, and while Cruz maintained he was open to debating his opponent, he did not formally respond until July. That is when Cruz proposed five topical debates over three months in five cities.

Among the issues that O’Rourke had with Cruz’s proposed debate schedule was every one fell on a Friday evening during high school football season. That will remain true for the Dallas debate, while the other two debates they ultimately agreed to are set for different days.

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