The competition for the Texas U.S. Senate seat was fierce (and expensive). 

Beto O'Rourke, the Democratic candidate, led a hell-raising campaign, dedicating his time and efforts traveling to and rallying in every county in Texas, garnering supports from the young voters and Democrats of not only the state, but of the entire country it seemed. He wielded his platform on social media, becoming an internet sensation. A guest star in late night shows and interviews, he had Hollywood and millions of money backing him up.

So how, then, did Cruz still manage to steal the spotlight in the end?

Texas is a historically red state with the Republican party wielding its power holding seats in Congress, presidencies, and in statewide and local elections. Although Beto tried to wield that power into the hands of the Democratic party, it proved that the red curtain could not be lifted. However, the win was not won by a landslide, in fact, it was won by just a slight margin of votes: 200,000. In percentages, that means Ted Cruz took 50.9% of the votes whereas Beto O'Rourke took 48.3% of the votes.

Social media, the news, and young voters are creating their own influences. 

Although Cruz managed to take away the win at the end, the closeness between the two candidates shows just how much power social media, the news, and young voters can wield in overall electoral outcomes. Ever heard of the extremely crazy theory that Ted Cruz is the Zodiac Killer?

As a Conservative student in a Liberal community, I constantly felt that Beto was going to win. Everyone around me talked about Beto and supported him. Talks of Cruz were little to none compared to Beto. He put on a great campaign and his supporters dedicated a lot of time and hard work. It was clear to see how greatly he influenced so many people in not only the state of Texas, but in the country.