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Beto O'Rourke holds "Vote 'Em Out" Rally in Austin


File image of Beto O'Rourke from his "Vote 'Em Out" Rally in Austin. (CBS Austin)
File image of Beto O'Rourke from his "Vote 'Em Out" Rally in Austin. (CBS Austin)
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Willie Nelson took to the stage Sunday in Austin with Texas gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke as a part of O'Rourke's "Vote 'Em Out" campaign.

Nelson showed his support for the Democratic candidate and performed at the rally.

Austinite and multi-Grammy award winner Nelson brought in a huge crowd to the Moontower Saloon Sunday.

"Willie is the icing on the cake!" said O'Rourke supporter Karen Conyngham.

But the Democratic candidate for governor was the main event.

The rally drew in hundreds supporting O'Rourke for various reasons, but what they all want to see happen is the same -- to "vote 'em out."

"Our future, our children's future, our daughters', and granddaughters' and nieces' futures are at stake, said O'Rourke supporter Karen Conyngham. "We gotta turn this out!"

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Sara Ferinza, another O'Rourke supporter, said she was at the rally primarily to back O'Rourke's stance on abortion laws.

"I think it is a tragedy that we live in this state that doesn't protect women's rights, and I'm a big proponent of that," she said.

Sunday's rally comes on the heels of Friday's debate with Governor Greg Abbott, and O'Rourke wasn't shy about talking about it.

"He's the master of deflection, and distractions and lies," said O'Rourke. "Ask him why he can't keep the lights on, why teachers are leaving the profession by the thousands, why CPS is the worst-run foster care program in the United States of America today, and he'll try to get you scared about transgender kids, or critical race theory."

Abbott had plenty to say about O'Rourke Friday night.

"Beto's campaign continues to spew lies and false information," Abbott said. "He's said two things that are completely false - he said that we're last in mental healthcare; the fact of the matter is Texas is now 27th in mental healthcare because of funding that I provided. He also said that we did not fund police radios in Uvalde. Completely false -- we provided $1.6 million for Uvalde, alone, for their police radio systems since I've been governor. So, Beto continues to provide false information."

Now, a little more than a month away from Election Day, both candidates are pulling out all the stops to garner votes.

In a recent Quinnipiac University of Texas poll, O'Rourke trails Abbott by seven points.

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