Wow. Just wow.

[rownesheck]

just finished watching the cnn town hall with beto. Listening to him speak brings tears to my eyes. I'm a 42 year old man, but there is just something about him. It's Obamaesque. There is hope for our future. Not just in Texas, but i believe nationwide. I know he said he has no plans for running for prez, but i believe it's inevitable. Right now, i feel damn proud to be a Texan. It's been a long time since I've been able to say that.

[lapfog_1]

1. I sure hope he wins...

Then, maybe, he can follow the path of Obama... not that it's been blazed.

The beauty of a short time in the Senate is both national stage (he already has that) and no track record to speak of.

[NanceGreggs]

2. Watched as well.

He's an incredibly impressive young man, and very charismatic.

[SWBTATTReg]

18. And to boot, he's got a steel trap for a mind, and quick w/ his wit. Good qualities that make a ...

fine leader, who we all need, not just in TX. Side by side, Texas folks have had a chance to look at Lying Ted and Beto, and the choice is hands down, Beto. I wish him the best in TX for the election (I'm in MO), and the best in his future endeavors. I've got a feeling that we'll be seeing more of this young man in the future, and that would please a lot of people.

I'm sick and tired of cruz and his smarmy replies and retorts to questions asked and I don't think I'm the only one. He's one of the most unpopular senators in Congress and I can see why. His wife didn't help w/ bitching about not being able to afford a second home. When I heard this remark, I just shook my head.

[TreasonousBastard]

3. Listened to part of it on the way home and he was impressive...

Sirius/XM has CNN live. NPR had something on I wasn't interested in, MSNBC had Tweety interrupting his guests, so CNN was the good place for news.

[politicaljunkie41910]

22. CNN is repeating it at Midnight EST. I'm recording it because my husband was recording a couple of

games and my scheduled recordings took the loss.

[Cheviteau]

52. "Tweety Interrupting His Guest."

You got that right. That is some nerve-racking shit he brings to MSNBC. Sadly, Chris Hayes seems to be taking clues from him lately. It serves no purpose for the two of them to invite a guest on to give we viewers information to only babble on themselves.

[Raven123]

4. I thought Beto was very good

I got a little confused on his answer about impeachment. I might have missed it but I think he would been clearer if he had specified how he would view his role ain the Senate versus that in Congress.

[LostinRed]

5. I said it before he needs to move

Texas won’t elect him. They hate Ted Cruz but are still going to vote for him. This is based on a focus group that was featured on Vice News. A purple or blue state deserves this guy. He is so great. Ever since I saw his video defending the NFL kneelers I knew he was something special.

[hostalover]

6. Maybe he will surprise us!

[blogslut]

7. Texas has elected him three times.

Mr. O'Rourke is a thrice-elected US Congress person from the 16th district.

[TexasBushwhacker]

28. His district elected him

Winning a statewide office in Texas is a whole different deal.

[blogslut]

30. It is this is true.

Thing is, he's ours and we don't want him to move, now do we?

[TexasBushwhacker]

42. Definitely want him to stay n/t

[grantcart]

9. I agree. After he gets elected he needs to move to DC.

[aeromanKC]

24. He will have to

After All, that's where 1600 Pennsylvania Ave is.

[sheshe2]

27. I am with you!!!!

He needs to move once elected.

[WhiteTara]

54. Texas was solid blue before KKKarl Rove'd the state

they may wake up this time.

[Hortensis]

55. If TX doesn't elect him this time, I would like to see him move.

I don't want him wasted. He has a national name and following now, and if not enough Texans, notably including minorities, take a stand against evil, Beto could be representing others in the house in 2 years and the senate in 4 or more likely 6.

But all those Texans trying to advance their state with Senator O'Rourke really deserve to win, and I'm pulling for them.

[George II]

8. Yep! I just remarked elsewhere that he might be considered a "white Barack Obama".

This one hour of national attention should send his career soaring, even if he can't pull out this election against Rafael.

(interesting, he was asked why he uses "Beto", has anyone asked Cruz why he uses "Ted"?)

[SunSeeker]

10. Please please please please please...

Ask everyone you know to VOTE for Beto!

[Honeycombe8]

11. I'll have to look that up on Youtube or something. nt

[mahina]

50. Link

[Honeycombe8]

61. Thanks! O'Rourke is a tall drink o' water, isn't he?

That's good. Statistics show that tall men have an advantage in winning elections. I know it sounds silly, and it isn't always true, but it is a statistic.

Hope he wins. He would be good for Texas.

[mahina]

62. You bet!

I sure do hope so with my whole heart b

[JDC]

12. I listened to the first 1/2 hour on Sat CNN.

It was so refreshing to hear someone speak eloquently and with real passion and compassion. Boy do I hope he wins.

[lunatica]

13. I think Beto is going to win

precisely because it’s Ted Cruz he’s running against.

Texas is going blue right now.

[onetexan]

46. Just drove to visit my sister today in Dallas suburb

On her street the first house had a Cruz sign, followed by 2 houses with Beto signs. If Tx isnt blue yet at least its turning purple. BETO is certainly causing alot of buzz.

[lunatica]

47. It may be as simple as Cruz being inconsistent about Trump

insulting his wife.

There’s something really sleazy and cowardly and downright unmanly about the whole thing around Cruz kissing Trump’s ass after he insulted his wife’s looks. There is nothing that shows more completely that Cruz has no loyalty in his being. If nothing else Trumpians are loyal. I suspect many of them will not vote at all.

[KatyMan]

57. anecdotal, but I drove around our neighborhood yesterday

and counted 11 Beto signs and 4 Cruz signs. We do live in a blue county here in Texas (Fort Bend) but we have a lot of people so hopefully we can swing it for Beto!

[onetexan]

70. Wow thats very encouraging

Go blue!

[hibbing]

14. He's got "it"

I like him a lot. Cruz is just so awful it is astounding he got elected in the first place, but that whole party is filled with deplorables.


Peace

[catrose]

44. I think Cambridge Analytical explains it

As Al Franken said, "I like Ted Cruz better than anybody in the Senate, and I hate Ted Cruz."

And Rapey Brett is his best friend, so what else does anyone need to know?

[Cha]

15. Kick for Beto!!

[flying-skeleton]

16. Unfortunately .....

There are way too many Texans hooked on the Bullshit pedaled by the likes of Fox News (aka. Bullshit Mountain) and Fat Dumb Ass Rush Limbaugh to wake up and see the light. Texans deserve a moron like Cruz to screw them over and over again !!

[hurl]

20. No, we don't.

The problem in Texas is more that we are dead last in turnout, so those hooked on the bullshit (who always vote) end up having disproportionate power. That's why GOTV is more important here than ever, and Democrats are working really hard this time to make it happen. We had the most new voter registrations in the country this cycle, so there is hope.

Win or lose, we are making Republicans spend time and money that they weren't expecting to.

[VOX]

23. I was under the impression that Texas was gerrymandered to hell and back.

Case in point: The very liberal capital city of Austin -- but due to 2011 redistricting, five of its six congressional representatives are Republican.

[hurl]

32. Right - no question.

Because of our low turnout, Republicans have been able to solidify their advantage by turning gerrymandering into an art form. That definitely will delay the demographic blue tide for a few more election cycles, but it is something we can overcome with patience and perseverance. A rejuvenated Democratic party at state and local levels will slowly begin to have an impact.

The good news is that this doesn't apply to the Senate race, so if we can GOTV, there is a chance to make progress.

[VOX]

35. Good to know.

I have a bit of a familial stake in Texas culture -- my dad was born in Hubbard, and raised in El Paso.

[TexasTowelie]

45. Ha ha,

I not only know where Hubbard is, but I've been there a couple of times--neither of which do I really want to think about at length.

[GulfCoast66]

33. This is a state wide race. Gerrymandering not possible.

[VOX]

37. That completely slipped my mind. I was thrown off by the article attached below...

Which of course refers to the CONGRESSIONAL races. *facepalm*

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/3/5/17067544/texas-republicans-gerrymandering-primary-2018-midterms
How Texas Republicans’ gerrymandering could backfire in 2018
Gerrymandered into six districts, liberal Austin voters could erode Republican margins in 2018.
By Ella Nilsenella May 22, 2018

Deep in the heart of conservative Texas lies its liberal capital of Austin — a city jokingly referred to as “a blueberry in the tomato soup of Texas.” Given its left-leaning politics, it might seem strange that of Austin’s six congressional representatives, five are Republican.

That’s because during 2011 redistricting, Texas Republicans effectively diluted the voting power of Austin — and the equally liberal Travis County it sits in — by splitting the county into five congressional districts and carving Austin into six districts.

But with signs of a blue wave potentially ready to hit Texas along with the rest of the country during the 2018 midterms, some political observers are wondering whether Texas Republicans’ dramatic gerrymandering could backfire. Austin voters now have the potential to erode Republican margins in each of the five Republican-controlled districts and perhaps even flip one — the 21st Congressional District.
<snip>

[blogslut]

34. Some districts are pretty badly gerrymandered.

We had a wonderful candidate for governor named Chris Bell who fought that gerrymandering valiantly. That year, Rick "Goodhair" Perry won a third term with 39% of the damned vote thanks to Kinky Friedman.

And now I shall drink to all the times we Texas Democrats have had our hearts broken. And to all the times we'll keep pushing on.

[VOX]

40. Keep pushing, there's a Blue Texas out there somewhere...

I'm sitting in Very Blue California, and there's no good reason for Texas to stay Red. Just a little farther, keep on the true-Blue path! Havin' a tall one with ya here, cheers!:

[MagickMuffin]

69. Well, our State Flower is the BLUEBONNET, note: not red

So, every spring Texas is a blanket of bluebonnets. We Texas voters will become the Texas Bluebonnets in the Fall!

[SammyWinstonJack]

17. He's great! If I were still in Texas, I'd proudly vote for him.

[Me.]

19. KR

[nolabear]

21. You should see the bot swarm on Twitter.

All copy/paste of the exact same message. They’re scared out of their teeny little minds. 😄

And I really liked him too. He swears he’s not going to run for president but he’d make a hell of an impression in the senate!

[NastyRiffraff]

29. Actually he swore to

complete the 6 year term as Senator, should he win. He at first said a blunt "No," but sort of amended that when Dana Bash pressed him, asking if he'd "never" run for president. He's young enough to honor the promise to complete a six year term and still run for president at some point.

[cry baby]

25. Yep, I get to cast my vote for him this upcoming Monday!

I'm proud tonight, too.

[NastyRiffraff]

26. Yes, he reminds me of Obama, but also

I'm old enough to remember Bobby Kennedy, and Beto has that kind of aura.

[George II]

39. I never made that connection until you mentioned it - yes, you're right. The same "kavorka*".

* a Seinfeld connection!!!!

He just has a presence, another Seinfeld reference, "how can anyone not like him?"

[sheshe2]

31. Watched the whole thing.

He was awesome.

Go Beto.

[D_Master81]

36. unfortunately he lives in Texas

I will be shocked if he wins and be surprised if he's withing 3 or 4%. Hope I'm wrong.

[elmac]

38. I think if HRC would run again she would be elected with numbers not even the fascists could hide

I know she won't but I can dream.

[Stuart G]

41. He sounds "intelligent" and "caring and sensitive"....compared to "Ted Cruz"

......He is going to win.......people will vote for him. Lots will come out just to vote for Beto..I'll say it again...
............HE IS GOING TO WIN..........why?....such a contrast.... you don't need to be brilliant to see it.....
..........Also voting for Beto will be a vote against Trump.......................
.........................and lots of people want to make a statement against Trump....but we will see....I hope I am right

[Gothmog]

43. Beto was amazing

Link to tweet

[orleans]

48. finally some good news!

how inspiring

[mahina]

49. Like Bobby. But living a very long good life God willing!

[catbyte]

51. I can't believe he's so far behind in the latest Quinnipiac poll. WTF, Texas?!?

[Nitram]

53. Thanks for sharing.

[SpankMe]

56. A little racism here on my part...

If Beto loses, it frees him up for 2 years of preps to run for POTUS.

Now, the racist part: Let's make a presidential Oreo - an icky white guy between two brown guys!

O'Rourke was more qualified to be president when he was 14 than Trump is now. Democrats need a single national voice and de-facto leader. Beto is it. We need to recruit him as the national Democratic focal point and start hitting hard.

After this election is over - blue wave or not - we need to name a nat'l Dem figurehead and go for it...hit it hard.

[LiberalLovinLug]

64. He'd be almost the perfect candidate

A Texan for starters. With no real skeletons, if Cruz hasn't dug anything up yet.

Also, to be strictly objective, he's a man. Sorry, but objectively speaking, its still, sadly, an advantage. Just because we want all voters to see women and men equally as leaders, many still do not.

He's tall. Again, shouldn't matter but stature seems to matter in how many Americans have been conditioned to see a leader.

And he's engaging, charismatic, and intelligent.


If he loses against Cruz, he should do as you say, start prepping for a run at POTUS.

While I'd love it if Kamala Harris, or Adam Schiff, Elizabeth Warren, or Bernie Sanders, or even someone like Avenatti were to be the nominee, Beto could be a candidate that totally decimates the GOP. We could win the House and Senate back.

[Grasswire2]

58. I worry about the safety of someone so natural and charismatic.

We've lost too many of those who were destined for greatness.

[NJCher]

59. I saw a person with a Beto T-shirt

in NJ.

[Initech]

60. OMG if there's any seat I want to flip more...

It's Beto for Ted Cruz's seat! Go Beto!!!!

[LittleGirl]

63. I felt the same. eom

[northoftheborder]

65. Agree with all of the above, plus....

...he has a natural, unpolished, yet appealing manner. He needs to smile a bit more is my only criticism. He looks and acts like a "good ole Texas boy" but with high energy, seriousness, intelligence and dedication. Love him, I will be very depressed if Lyin Ted wins.

[ananda]

66. I like Beto too!

And I also hope he wins !!!!!!!!!

[YOHABLO]

67. I think he has great appeal from the younger generations as well as older farts like me.

I wouldn't rule out a presidential run for him. He has real grass roots charisma.

[Blue_Tires]

68. Only when the alt-left starts trying to tear him down and sabotage him

and give purity tests will I know he's officially legit

[Uben]

71. This Texan thinks you're right!

I believe Beto has a very good chance to go far in politics. He sure talks sense and is very convincing. I'll be casting my vote for him tomorrow.