Why hasn't Beto O'Rourke gained more traction?

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19. He has been turning down media appearances in favor of meeting voters in person for now

And packing his full time campaigning full of local town halls instead. He is busy building a formidable ground game, speaking directly to voters, learning about the issues specific to the states he visits and visiting every college he can fit into his schedule. He's out there talking to young voters, and other important groups.

It's foolish to make yourself too available too early because you risk peaking too soon. Biden is going to take up all of the oxygen when he enters and he will get most of the press for the next couple of weeks. Once that newness of Biden's entrance passes is going to be the best time for Beto to start doing more media appearances, to avoid peaking too soon.

He is right where he wants to be. When he starts making those appearances he will already have a strong national grassroots organization in place. He did the same thing in Texas. The press is treating him like he's becoming irrelevant because they are trying to force him into doing interviews with them. It's all manufactured.