The former Texas congressman, speaking in El Paso, contrasted his approach with President Trump, who he said had focused on fear.
By Jenna Johnson Jenna Johnson National political correspondent covering campaigns and voters Email Bio Follow March 30 at 2:58 PM EL PASO — Former congressman Beto O’Rourke officially kicked off his presidential campaign Saturday with a plea for unity and compassion for Americans struggling to better themselves and migrants seeking relief at the Mexican border just blocks away from where he stood.
O’Rourke stood just a few blocks away from the Paso del Norte International Bridge, under which Border Patrol agents have detained hundreds of migrants, including families with young children, in a temporary tent encampment because a dramatic influx of asylum seekers has filled the processing facilities.
In his two weeks as a candidate, voters across the country have repeatedly asked O’Rourke what sets him apart in a crowded Democratic field. He usually tells of living in this vibrant border town, where more than 80 percent of residents are Hispanic, Spanish is widely spoken, and people and goods freely and peacefully travel back-and-forth across international bridges.
O’Rourke has said that he wants to run “the largest grass roots campaign this country has ever seen,” and he has turned away donations from political action committees.
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