Beto O’Rourke, christening his 2020 campaign at a boisterous hometown rally, cast himself as a crusader against moneyed interests that he said have corrupted America’s democracy and a president he accused of capitalizing on politics of “fear and division”
The border — and the charged subject of immigration — has provided O’Rourke his clearest opening to confront Trump. The former Texas congressman hails from the heavily Democratic border city that shares a culture — and a skyline — with Juárez, Mexico.
But in a sweeping address on Saturday, O’Rourke also called broadly for expanding health care access, paying teachers more, strengthening labor unions, addressing climate change, banning workplace discrimination and enacting paid family leave. He called for decriminalizing marijuana and expunging the records of those arrested for possessing the drug. He called for expanding services for veterans and ending the country’s involvement in foreign wars.
O’Rourke timed his Texas debut for one day before the end of the first fundraising quarter of the year, marrying his homecoming rally to a furious organizing effort online. The campaign coordinated more than 1,000 viewing parties throughout the United States, while warning supporters that despite the staggering $6.1 million O’Rourke raised in the first 24 hours of his campaign — surpassing every other candidate and O’Rourke’s advisers’ own expectations — he was still running from behind.
O’Rourke is beginning his campaign far behind former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders in early polls, now running about even with Sens. Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren , according to the latest Morning Consult survey.But unconstrained by any public office or other job, O’Rourke is campaigning at a frenetic pace. Following his Texas rallies, he plans to speak at the progressive We the People Membership Summit in Washington on Monday and at Rev.
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