Politics | Ted Cruz Ted Cruz Doesn't Like Rival Using a Nickname Chris Cuomo explains why Rafael Edward Cruz is a hypocrite By Arden Dier Posted Mar 7, 2018 10:50 AM CST Copied Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on Dec. 6, 2017. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) In a sign of the politics to come before November's midterms, Ted Cruz has called out a rival's name change—and been called a hypocrite. After Rep. Beto O'Rourke won the Democratic primary for the Texas Senate race Tuesday, Cruz released a radio ad slamming O'Rourke for using a nickname given to him shortly after birth, per CNN. "Liberal Robert wanted to fit in, so he changed his name to Beto and hid it with a grin," the country jingle states, per the Hill. The hypocrisy from Cruz—whose real name is Rafael Edward Cruz—wasn't lost on CNN's Chris Cuomo, who confronted Cruz on Wednesday. Cruz claimed his campaign was "just having a sense of humor" and "some fun." Read These Next A space capsule carrying ashes of 160 people crashed in the ocean. The death toll in the Texas floods has risen to 27, including 9 kids. See the best BBQ cities in the US. Iraq's national game of deception brings out the best bluffers. Report an error