x
Breaking News
More () »

LIVE BLOG: Trump revs up large crowd at Toyota Center

Follow along here for all of the updates on President Donald Trump's visit to Houston and Congressman Beto O'Rourke's campaign stops in Harris County Monday.

More than 18,000 people packed Toyota Center Monday evening where President Donald Trump held a "Make America Great Again" rally for Sen. Ted Cruz.

Cruz's Democratic opponent Rep. Beto O'Rourke was also in Houston where he made eight stops near polling locations in Harris and Fort Bend counties to drum up excitement for early voting.

Follow along here for all of the updates on campaign trail Monday:

10:55 p.m. WATCH: President Trump's speech at Toyota Center

8:36 p.m. From 'Lyin Ted' to 'Beautiful Ted,' the relationship between President Trump and former rival Ted Cruz has come a long way. Speaking at a rally in Houston Monday, Trump says nobody helped him more to cut taxes and regulation than Cruz. Cruz is facing a strong challenge from Democrat Beto O'Rourke. Trump told a large crowd at Toyota Center that Cruz has "become a really good friend of mine."

Credit: SAUL LOEB
President Donald Trump greets Senator Ted Cruz during a campaign rally at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, on October 22, 2018. (SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)

8:18 p.m. Trump wraps up his speech to an adoring crowd of Houston supporters. There was a packed house of more than 18,000 people inside Toyota Center, with another 3,000 watching on a big screen outside.

7:55 p.m. Trump to Houston crowd: "Next time there's a hurricane, do me a favor: Don't take your boat out into the water." Thousands of heroes used their private boats to help rescue people trapped by Harvey's floodwaters.

7:45 p.m. Update on the crowd numbers at Toyota Center. HPD Chief Art Acevedo says crowd has been "peaceful and orderly."

7:24 p.m. Police removed at least one protester from a Toyota Center rally where President Trump was speaking.

Credit: Loren Elliott
A protester is arrested as President Donald Trump gives a speech during a rally in support of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) on October 22, 2018 at the Toyota Center in Houston. (Photo by Loren Elliott/Getty Images)

7:05 p.m. President Trump is speaking to a ramped up crowd at a rally on behalf of Ted Cruz at the Toyota Center.

PHOTOS: President Trump speaks at Toyota Center rally

6:44 p.m. U.S. Senate candidate Ted Cruz is now speaking to a packed house at Toyota Center. President Trump will also speak at the "Make America Great Again" rally.

6:26 p.m. President Trump is here to support former rival Ted Cruz because he's in a tight, must-win race with Democratic challenger Beto O'Rourke.

Credit: SAUL LOEB
President Donald Trump greets U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, upon arrival on Air Force One at Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in Houston, Texas, October 22. (SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)

6:11 p.m. About 3,000 people who didn't get into Toyota Center are watching the rally on a big screen outside. Governor Greg Abbott was among the early speakers but most people are there to see President Trump. The rally was moved from the 8,000-seat NRG Arena to the 18,000-seat Toyota Center.

VOTER GUIDE: Early voting locations, sample ballots, voting rules

5:40 p.m. Toyota Center is now at capacity. KHOU 11 News reporter Lauren Talarico said people were running toward the doors just before they closed and a few thousand people were left outside. The rally featuring President Trump and Senate candidate Ted Cruz will be shown on a big screen for supporters who didn't make it inside.

5:30 p.m. U.S. Senate candidate Beto O'Rourke wrapped up a day of campaigning Monday in Rosenberg. He made a total of eight stops in the Houston area. O'Rourke is challenging Republican incumbent Ted Cruz. Read more.

PHOTOS: Beto O'Rourke campaigns in Houston

5:21 p.m. The Toyota Center is almost at capacity, according to Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo. The doors will be closing soon. The spillover crowd can watch the rally on a big screen outside.

5:12 p.m. President Trump is headed to Toyota Center where he will speak at a Make America Great Again rally to help drum up support for U.S. Senate candidate Ted Cruz. The rally begins at 6:30 p.m.

4:55 p.m. President Trump has just landed at Ellington Airport. He was greeted by Senator Ted Cruz and Rep. Pete Olson, wearing a "Make Oil and Gas Great Again" cap.

WATCH: President Trump arrives in Houston

4:45 p.m. U.S. Senate candidate Beto O'Rourke shook hands and posed with pictures with voters at several polling places in the Greater Houston Area.

4:35 p.m. Minutes before landing in Houston, President Trump tweeted "Massive crowds inside and outside the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Landing shortly -- see everyone soon!" He included a photo of the crowd lined up outside the arena.

4:40 p.m. Trump supporters are settling into the Toyota Center ahead of his MAGa rally set to begin at 6:30 p.m.

WATCH: Doors open at Toyota Center for Trump's MAGA rally

4:25 p.m. President Trump, who dubbed Ted Cruz "Lyin' Ted" during the 2016 campaign, has had a change of heart. "Ted and I get along very well," Trump said Monday. "He's not 'Lyin' Ted' anymore, he's 'Beautiful Ted.' I call him 'Texas Ted.'

4:05 p.m. Missouri City was one of eight stops Senate candidate Beto O'Rourke made in Houston Monday.

3:55 p.m. You can't campaign too close to polling locations, so U.S. Senate candidate Beto O'Rourke stood on top of an SUV while addressing voters in West Houston.

WATCH: O'Rourke fires up voters across Houston area

3:35 p.m. They have began letting people into the Toyota Center for a 6:30 p.m. rally featuring President Trump and U.S. Senate candidate Ted Cruz. Lines are backed up for blocks.

3:14 p.m.

A new record has been set for the biggest turnout on the first day of early voting for the midterm elections in Harris County. Early voting kicked off on Monday and more than 57,000 voters had cast ballots by 4 p.m. The polls close at 4:30 p.m.

Tap here to read more

2:25 p.m. President Trump tweeted "WOW - thank you Houston, Texas!" before departing Andrews Airfield for his flight to H-Town. The tweet included video from Sunday night of thousands of supporters camping out at Toyota Center for the Make America Great Again rally.

2:05 p.m. Trump supporters chanted "Build that wall" outside Toyota Center where they are lined up for tonight's rally. Trump is expected to speak at 6:30 p.m. in support of Senator Ted Cruz who is in a heated race with Democrat Beto O'Rourke.

1:50 p.m. Excited supporters greeted U.S. Senate candidate Beto O'Rourke at Houston Community College Monday afternoon. It was his fifth of eight stops at Houston early voting locations. O'Rourke was also greeted by enthusiastic crowds at earlier stops in Pasadena and Montrose.

12:05 p.m. Democrat Beto O'Rourke chatted with 103-year-old military veteran Walter Peine during stops at polling locations in Houston Monday.

11:44 a.m. - NRG Park will open to allow $12 cash public parking for METRO Rail riders going into downtown for today’s MAGA Rally. Entrances into NRG Park will be Gate 3 (Holly Hall) and Gate 10 (Kirby and McNee) both gates will open at approximately noon for parking.

11:03 a.m. - O'Rourke is heading to the polls in the Pasadena area.

11 a.m. - A new aerial view of the crowd outside of the Toyota Center. The crowd has spilled over into Discovery Green nearby.

10:50 a.m. - The crowd continues to grow outside of the Toyota Center and has now spilled over into Discovery Green.

9:48 a.m. - O'Rourke is expected to make several more stops today in the area.

8:50 a.m. - The line is full outside of the Toyota Center. It now wraps around the next block as well.

8:30 a.m. - METRO Houston says some bus routes will see delays this afternoon due to the street closures for the president's rally.

7:57 a.m. - The president tweets, "Big Night In Texas," head of his visit to Houston Monday.

7:54 a.m. - O'Rourke supporters rally around the Congressman in Montrose.

7:31 a.m. - O'Rourke started his day by visiting the polling place near West Gray Street in the Montrose neighborhood.

6:57 a.m.- Aerial views from Air 11 show just how big the line of Trumps supporters is outside the Toyota Center. Folks here don't want to miss their opportunity to attend the rally.

6:34 a.m.- Before 7 a.m., we're already seeing as many as 3,000 people lined up for the rally.

5:23 a.m. - Just a reminder of the street closures downtown that are already in place ahead of the president's visit. Also, your evening commute will be affected if you plan of taking the Gulf Freeway.

4:52 a.m. - Rep. Beto O'Rourke will be making stops near polling places throughout Harris County Monday.

4:38 a.m. - Thousands of supporters are already camped out ahead of the president's rally.

RELATED:

Before You Leave, Check This Out