Could failed Texas U.S. Senate candidate Beto O'Rourke really be a serious contender for President in 2020? Well, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports an O'Rourke for President campaign has gotten the approval of one of the state's most important Democrat donors, San Antonio attroney Mikal Watts, who routinely donates big checks to candidates.
In an interview with 'Politico,' Watts favorably compares O'Rourke to Barack Obama, and said his phone is ringing 'off the hook' with calls from other big Democrat donors asking if O'Rourke is running, and asking where they can send their donations.
Mark Jones, a political analyst at Rice University, tells News Radio 1200 WOAI's Michael Board that despite the rock star status that O'Rourke gained during his U.S. Senate campaign, he would face a decidedly uphill battle in 2020.
"While the media treated him with kid gloves because he was running against Ted Cruz, that is less to be the case if he is running against fellow Democrats, especially those further to his left," Jones said.
A recent informal survey placed O'Rourke third among Democrats when asked who they would like to see become their nominee for President in 2020, trailing only Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders.
"There really is no Democrat on the national scene right now who is more electric and appealing than Beto O'Rourke," Jones said. "He really has nothing to lose by throwing his hat into the Presidential ring."
O'Rourke won plaudits in his unsuccessful campaign for the U.S. Senate for raising Democrat enthusiasm and appealing to Democrat voters who have not traditionally participated elections, two qualities that are seen as critical as Democrats, in just 14 months, begin the process of selecting their 2020 nominee.
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