Beto O'Rourke Moves Toward a 2020 Race He Could Upend, Ready or Not (NYT)

[dalton99a]

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/11/us/politics/beto-orourke-2020.html

Beto O’Rourke Moves Toward a 2020 Race He Could Upend, Ready or Not
By Matt Flegenheimer and Lisa Lerer
March 11, 2019


Beto O’Rourke at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Tex., on Saturday. He could announce his decision on a 2020 run as early as this week. Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Sxsw

As the Democratic presidential field takes final shape, Mr. O’Rourke seems inclined to be in this, according to interviews with people who have spoken to him and other top Democrats. He says he has made a decision about whether to run and could announce it as early as this week, unsettling prospective rival campaigns that consider Mr. O’Rourke a credible threat.

Few doubt Mr. O’Rourke’s capacity to upend the race regardless, buoyed by a talent for relentless retail politics, a formidable low-dollar fund-raising army and an unsubtle contrast to front-runners in their 70s, like Mr. Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders.

He also can count on help from several veterans of former President Barack Obama’s campaigns. One of them, Paul Tewes, Mr. Obama’s 2008 Iowa state director, has been helping to plan Mr. O’Rourke’s candidacy, according to three Democrats familiar with the effort, and Mr. O’Rourke is considering making a trip to Iowa as soon as this week.

But perhaps no major 2020 player invites as many question marks as Mr. O’Rourke, and his drawn-out non-candidacy has provided few answers:

...

[Eric J in MN]

1. Beto O'Rourke has never been a Senator or a governor

...and his ideology is vague and inconsistent.

But he should be president because he’s handsome?

[The Truth Is Here]

2. Can't get into him.

Two reasons:

1) he's a billionaire - wife is the rich one.
2) He lost to Cruz

So, hard pass from me. Roberto, save your damn dollars and go after Cornyn in 2020.

[Cha]

5. Sorry, but those are silly reasons.

[redstateblues]

3. I like him a lot

I'm sure Bernie doesn't want him in the race. I think he will take a chunk out of Bernie's %

[Cha]

6. Then that's a good reason for

Beto to get in the race.

I see BS' posters above don't want him in the race.

[standingtall]

4. I'm warming up to Beto

starting to think he could be the one to win this thing for us. He will probably have no trouble raising money. He can appeal to cross demographics. He is relatively young while not being ridiculously young if elected he would be 48 by the time he took office and he is from a state republicans absolutely have to have. Even if he cannot carry Texas he will make Trump and republicans spend way more time and money on that state than they want to.

[jcgoldie]

7. I am leaning Elizabeth but...

Harris and Beto are still high on my list and I can't wait to see him on the campaign trail stirring up excitement for the party!