Briscoe Cain tweet: Republican politician sparks fierce backlash after telling Beto O'Rourke 'my AR is ready for you' during Democrat debate

Bonnie Christian13 September 2019

A Texas state representative has faced fierce backlash after “threatening” a presidential candidate with an assault rifle during the Democrat debate.

Republican representative Briscoe Cain tweeted Beto O’Rourke saying: “My AR is ready for your Robert Francis” during the third debate, held in Houston, Texas.

The comment was made as the former Texas lawmaker drew some of the biggest applause of the night with an impassioned plea for gun control. It was later deleted.

"Hell yes we're going to take your AR-15, your AK-47," Mr O'Rourke, whose hometown El Paso was the site of a mass shooting that left 20 dead, said.

"We're not going to allow it to be used against your fellow Americans anymore."

Mr Cain had retweeted an earlier comment from Mr O’Rourke that said: “Hell yes, we’re gonna take your AR-15.”

Mr O’Rourke responded: “This is a death threat, Representative. Clearly, you shouldn't own an AR-15—and neither should anyone else,”

Beto O'Rourke drew applause after calling for gun control.
REUTERS

Mr Cain apparently deleted the tweet, that sparked 3,400 mostly outraged comments within three hours and only 89 retweets, according to NBC.

He later retweeted Mr O’Rourke’s response, writing: “You’re a child Robert Francis.”

Many people responded again in support of Mr O’Rourke.

One wrote: “This is why Texas can’t have nice things.”

Another said: "Why did you delete your tweet... It’s going to be there forever so even your kids will see the time you threatened a presidential candidate with death.

Others backed Mr O’Rourke’s suggestion that Mr Cain should not own a gun.

One person said: “Why do I get the feeling that you didn't even pass the background check for your AR-15?”

Another wrote: “Let me get this straight. It's ok for you to threaten someone with an AR-15, but when they call you out on it somehow they're the childish one?

“Call me crazy but threatening to shoot someone for upholding a law means you should've never owned a gun to begin with.”

The debate in Houston was headlined by frontrunner Joe Biden and close rivals Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, who clashed over healthcare.

Only the 10 highest-polling Democrats were eligible to take part.

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