It pains me to say this, but I must get it off my chest: It’s time for Beto O’Rourke to call it a career.
The young man perceived as Texas’s rising Democratic political star got his butt thumped in the midterm election. He lost to Gov. Greg Abbott by 11 percentage points in the cash-heavy race for governor.
O’Rourke broke some sort of fundraising record. He raised and spent more money than Abbott. He drew enthusiastic crowds. He got ’em fired up.
But … he finished with far fewer votes than the GOP incumbent.
O’Rourke’s high-water mark is now more evident than ever. He reached his zenith in 2018 when he came with 3% of defeating U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. He got a lot of us salivating over his prospects. Then he ran for president in 2020 … and flamed out.
Now this. In 2022, O’Rourke fell victim to belief in what he could do. He has fallen short yet again.
The Texas Tribune reports: “It’s been one [election] after another where we ramp everybody up and set up these expectations that we’re going to finish in first — and then we finish in second,” said Joel Montfort, a Democratic consultant in North Texas. “I don’t see any indication that we can win at statewide levels or won’t continue to bleed house seats to the other party.”
After election, Texas Democrats admit faltering on messaging, voter turnout | The Texas Tribune
Beto is now a three-time loser. Hmm. It seems to me his days on the Texas political stage have come to an end.
I voted for O’Rourke in 2018 and again in 2022. I don’t regret my votes for the young man. Still, the former congressman from El Paso, in my humble view, needs to find a job and pursue a new career.