Beto O'Rourke, former three-term congressman and one time punk rocker, starts his 2020 presidential run with a swing through Iowa
BURLINGTON, Iowa - Beto O’Rourke made his debut as a Democratic presidential candidate on Thursday, betting his optimistic economic message, liberal immigration policies and fame gained in a failed bid for the U.S. Senate last year will net him the party’s 2020 nomination.
O’Rourke, 46, joined a jam-packed field of more than a dozen Democratic candidates, including several U.S. senators. It remains to be seen whether he can make up ground for his relatively late entry into the race. O’Rourke jumped atop the coffee shop’s counter and delivered an impassioned address, touching upon issues of economic inequality, climate change and education. He largely avoided criticizing President Donald Trump by name but made his opposition to Trump’s policies clear.
“Well, I think he’s got a lot of hand movement. I’ve never seen so much hand movement. I said, ‘Is he crazy or is that just the way he acts?’,” Trump said during an Oval Office appearance with Ireland’s prime minister. It remains to be seen how O’Rourke, a white male with a history of supporting some moderate positions in Congress, will fare in a Democratic nominating battle with a heavy emphasis on progressive policies and diversity.
“Him coming into the race could dry up money for some of the others,” said Courtney, who is neutral in the party primary. “Some of the candidates who didn’t have too good a chance just might drop out.”
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