Beto O'Rourke says 'if' Texans want him to run for U.S. Senate, 'yes I will'

[Polybius]

Article is two weeks old, but I missed it. So, what do ya think?

Former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, defeated for U.S. Senate and Texas governor in recent elections but a prodigious national fundraiser, now says that “if” Texans want him to run for Senate again in 2026, “then yes I wlll.”

It may be the closest O’Rourke, an El Paso Democrat, has come to announcing for what is expected to be a $200 million-plus campaign against either incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn or challenger Attorney General Ken Paxton, a McKinney Republican.

O’Rourke, then a member of the U.S. House, lost to incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz by 3 percentage points in a 2018 election that lifted him into the national spotlight. In 2022, he lost to Gov. Greg Abbott by 11 points.

He raised nearly $180 million for the two campaigns. The 2026 Democratic nominee for Senate will be expected to raise as much as $100 million.

Read more...

[LudwigPastorius]

1. Honestly, he blew his chance at a statewide election...

with his ‘we’re going to take your AR15s’ remark.

Maybe someday, if Texas turns a lot bluer, he’s got a shot. But, I think the best that can be hoped for now is a more centrist candidate taking away a Senate seat from the GOPers.

[markodochartaigh]

2. 2016 was 52/43, r/D; 2020

was 52/46, r/D; 2024 was 56/42, r/D. But Texas has one of the lowest voting rates in the states. And the Republicans are playing handball, and they are upping their game, even singling out the largest and most Democratic county, Harris (Houston) for tactics which Putin would consider daring.

For any Democratic politician to win they will have to turn out huge numbers of the non-voters. Even if we are staring down the barrel of the worst depression since 1929 or 1873 (which the Republicans will blame on President Biden, and they WILL be believed by one third of Texans), Texans will remember that Beto said that he would take away their ar type guns. I like Beto and I wish that he could win. But without addressing the Republican anti-democracy strategies successfully and without turning out at least a million of the non-voters I don't see how he can win.

[Melon]

3. Beto can't win in Texas....sorry

Last edited Fri May 16, 2025, 06:35 AM - Edit history (1)

He’s tried. Bringing his name up down here is opening yourself up for both barrels of criticism. Amongst democratic voters I hear the same negativity. It’s a waste of money and an opportunity to develop a better candidate.

[JI7]

4. Is there any Democrat that can win ?

[Melon]

5. I honestly don't know...but that doesn't remove

The fact that we need to not waste money on candidates that are perineal losers. Why are we hearing Beto? We’ve long since given up on him and his tainted brand. We should have another front running name being marketed and he goes and gets a normal job.

[Celerity]

8. No, not statewide (at least for US Senate and Governor/Lt Governor). TX isn't going Blue anytime soon, despite decades

of wishcasting and hundreds of millions of USD flushed down the shitter.

[Skittles]

7. "democrat voters"

yeah OK

[Prairie Gates]

11. LOL

What an edit!

[Skittles]

15. yes

gotta.....cover them tracks

[fujiyamasan]

6. 2018 was Beto's best chance

Ted Cruz was an unusually odious and unpopular incumbent…yet he won because he’s a republican, and I think that’s all that matters in a statewide race for the near future. Cruz was also facing a bunch of headwinds. At that time, Trump was not popular nationwide and it was a democratic wave midterm.

Cruz won much more comfortably in ‘24.

I’m not very bullish on democrats winning a statewide race in Texas in the near term, especially not for a federal election (senate or presidential). Unless it took an Alabama special election type event, where Doug jones won (which was pretty wild). But I think it’s better to chip away at other offices and build upwards.

After making some progress over the years, democrats ceded way too much ground in the state, especially in the border communities. I think volunteers have really been working on turning it purple.

[blogslug]

9. If Paxton wins the primary then O'Rourke has a chance

That's what I think.

[Polybius]

12. I agree with you

Paxon is just that crazy.

[Liberal In Texas]

10. One of the problems here in Texas is the infusion of big dollars into any

campaign and the more high profile the campaign the more money is spent. They manage early in any campaign to buy up most of the local television and radio time. This assures a constant stream of propaganda in a state with not even one progressive radio station.

[Jose Garcia]

13. O'Rourke has already told voters that he wants to take their guns

[krawhitham]

14. Colin Allred recieved 1 million more votes than Beto O'Rourke vs Cruz

So NO


BTW he did not raise 180M in the two campaigns, he raised 79M in 2018 and 66M in 2022 for at total of 145M not 180M

Colin Allred raised 93M in 2024