I Support Beto O’Rourke for President

While I like and admire virtually all of the candidates seeking the Democratic nomination and all would be a vast improvement on the current occupant of the White House, I’ve come to the conclusion that one candidate stands out as the leader we need at this moment. After much thought and reflection, I’m proud to support the courageous voice for a new generation and a new direction, Beto O’Rourke.

Beto stands out in three distinct ways. The inclusive way he is running his campaign, the deep passion and specific vision underlying his candidacy and the fresh way he is communicating his ideas with the American people—are all indicators that he has what it takes to defeat Trump in 2020, but also shows that he will give us a real shot at getting a fresh start for this country and creating a future where all voices are being heard again.

I grew up in Texas. I also worked in politics in Texas when we still won races there. I started following Beto closely not after his viral moment about the NFL players kneeling, but when he and Congressman Will Hurd a Republican were stuck in Texas due to weather but decided to rent a car and drive together back to DC with the entire ride live on Facebook. I was struck then by Beto’s authenticity, his genuine desire to hear all perspectives and his openness to hearing other points of view. I was also struck by his candor and his thoughtfulness around policy and issues. It was also a relief at a time of such bitter divide to see a real bi-partisan discussion that was productive.

I also followed Beto’s campaign for the US Senate in 2018 and was impressed and inspired by his natural instinct as a candidate and his ability to connect with so many people from diverse walks of life. He energized young people and urban voters, but also attracted voters from rural Texas in a way no Democrat had in a long time. And while he came up short in that campaign, the results (the most votes ever by a Democrat in Texas) clearly demonstrated he was a unique political talent, someone to watch.

I thought initially, that he would pass on 2020 given his seeming hesitation early on, but ultimately I was glad he decided to run. That said, his initial campaign launch was a missed opportunity and he has been trying to recover momentum ever since. Some will say this is already a three-way race and he best thing is to choose your favorite between Biden, Warren and Sanders—But there is still time to get into this race as a fourth generational candidate given that there are still many voters looking for an alternative.

Since the mass murder in El Paso, by a racist gunman who was directly inspired by the hateful rhetoric of the president— Beto has found his footing and his voice in this campaign. Deeply impacted by the tragedy in his hometown and the underlying reasons it happened, Beto has shown unmatched passion and leadership on the most pressing issues of the day — racism, immigration and gun safety. And in the third Democratic debate, he was the first major candidate for president ever to call for a mandatory buyback of assault weapons. This policy was very effective in Australia when they implemented a similar buyback.

He has also made it a point to include everyone in his campaign. He’s gone to college towns, small towns, gun shows and has gone to places often overlooked in presidential politics today. He knows we will need everyone to tackle the big challenges we have ahead. We need to move beyond the tribal politics we have become so entrenched in and make sure no one is shut out or left behind.

I think that Beto can continue to bring new people to the process, win the suburban votes that propelled Democrats in 2018 and rally and energize the base of our party as well as young voters. He will put Texas into play in a big way (equal to Ohio and Pennsylvania electoral votes) and can build from his authentic connection and trust he has with the Latino community. (listen to interview on LatinoUSA here) This relationship will help everywhere but especially in states like Colorado, Nevada, Arizona and Georgia.

We have many talented people running and many will say the last thing we need is another white man of privilege to be president. While I agree we definitely need more diverse leaders in all walks of American life, I sincerely don’t think any of the other candidates bring Beto’s unique set of strengths to this race— -his passion and energy, being from Texas and El Paso specifically, his appeal to younger voters, his more moderate views on health care and his ability as a listener and communicator.

I truly believe it is time for a new generation to lead this country and more than ever and we need a leader who has the ideas, the passion, empathy and the ability to unite our country and the world around the big things we must boldly and urgently act on — like tackling the climate crisis, reforming immigration, making our communities safer and taking income inequality head-on.

It is why, after much consideration and sincere admiration for the other folks running, I’ve decided to support Beto O’Rourke to be our next president. Please consider joining me and chip in your support for keeping Beto’s important voice at this crucial moment.

And if you haven’t decided yet, I hope you will keep an open mind, listen to Beto and consider supporting him as the race unfolds. Regardless, we will all be working together on the same team to defeat Donald Trump soon enough.

Nothing is more important.