TEXAS -- The controversy over NFL players taking a knee during the national anthem has hit Texas' U.S. Senate race.

At a recent campaign event in Houston, Democrat Beto O’Rourke was asked if he thinks the NFL players kneeling are disrespectful to veterans and the country.

"My short answer is no, I don't think it's disrespectful,” O’Rourke said.

This video has now gone viral, and earned praise from celebrities and professional athletes.

After voicing his support for the protests, the Democratic candidate goes on to reference the nonviolent civil rights movement led by Martin Luther King, Jr. and noting that players started the protests to call attention to police brutality of unarmed black men.

Republican incumbent Ted Cruz has used the comments to again point out that while O'Rourke may get national attention, he's out of step with the Texans who will actually decide the race.

As recent polling suggests on the NFL issue, the numbers show Texans are not with O'Rourke.

In a blog post Wednesday, pollster and Texas Politics Project Director Jim Henson suggested the El Paso Democrat’s position is sure to get a reception in Texas that ‘is likely to be much more ambiguous.’

"While it’s too soon to judge O’Rourke’s national prospects — despite the natural eagerness to discover the Next Big Thing — the response on Political Twitter illustrates that in moments like his Houston comments (and many others on a growing list), O’Rourke looks a lot like a national Democratic candidate," Henson wrote. "Relevant attitudes in Texas, however, suggest that he still has a rough schedule to get through before he graduates to the pros."

Click the video link above to watch our full interview with Henson on how O’Rourke’s NFL comments could impact the race.