Beto O’Rourke, despite a lack of name recognition, is catching up to Ted Cruz in the polls. Cruz was leading with a 15-18 percent majority in the beginning of this year, depending on the source. Polls currently stand at Cruz with 47 percent and O’Rourke with 35, a much thinner margin in a short period of time. The polled voters show that Cruz is seen lately in an unfavorable light, and to have a self-seeking agenda; however, many Texans claim to not know enough about O’Rourke to have an opinion of him so far. Those who do have an opinion cite his charisma and down to earth platform as reasons for his rising numbers.
Affiliation with End Citizens United
End Citizens United is a grassroots campaign originally based to overturn Citizens United and reduce the amount of influence money has on election and politics in general. O’Rourke’s campaign involves only his own strategies, in a utilitarian and no-frills approach to gaining ground for this year’s election. Also relying primarily on himself and the needs of the voters, O’Rourke has not only decided against utilizing political and campaign consultants, and pollsters, he has also rejected any money from Political Acton Committees. Currently, where 96% of voters see the use of money as a way to corrupt a campaign or politician, O’Rourke’s refusal of any money towards his campaign is seen as a positive step towards putting the needs of the voters above those of companies and businesses.
Endorsement by League of Conservative Voters
While the voice of environmental concerns has grown over the years, politicians of the GOP have still found ways to set many of these issues aside in favor of what they depict as more pressing ones. Voters all over are pushing to have these concerns centralized in law making, thus the beginning of the League of Conservative Voters. The LCV pushes to ensure that matters concerning the environment become priorities at every level of government, and that politicians are held accountable for their decisions in this capacity.
The League of Conservative Voters Action Fund has endorsed Beto O’Rourke for his stances on conservation and climate change issues. As these topics become more centralized, endorsements of groups such as the LCV become more important to campaigning politics. This does not bode well for incumbent Cruz, as the LCV has shown disdain for his lack of concern over environmental issues in the past.
A Platform Texans can Relate to
Speaking in general of O’Rourke’s stances on the issues, voters seem to identify with his ideas and priorities. Some describe his campaigning methods as “old school,” particularly in regards to the amount of time he spends traveling. He has now visited every single county in Texas, all 254 of them, even ones such as Cooke County that hasn’t voted a Democrat into office in decades.
When it comes to the issues that the average voter looks at, Beto O’Rourke speaks to them on jobs, healthcare, and immigration as chief areas of concentration. Speaking to every county in Texas, O’Rourke assures them that every citizen who wants a job will be able to get that job, along with the necessary education needed to succeed. He displays his beliefs on the importance of healthcare, citing the need for every citizen to have healthcare in order to become and stay healthy. His stance on immigration displays his belief that every issue should reflect the country’s values, welcoming immigrants and thanking them for what they have done for our country, along with calling to end walls, raids, and overall hostility.
O’Rourke’s plans, if making it to overturn Cruz’s seat in the typically red state, simply highlight his goals to end divisive and contentious actions in politics, calling to simply bring voters together and better the nation by bettering their lives.