Beto O'Rourke

Beto O'Rourke is a politician who served as the U.S. representative for Texas's 16th congressional district from 2013 to 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, O'Rourke was the party's nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2018, a candidate for the presidential nomination in 2020, and the party's nominee for the 2022 Texas gubernatorial election.

O'Rourke started his business career after graduating from Columbia University. He returned to El Paso and was elected to the El Paso City Council in 2005, where he served until 2011. O'Rourke was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012 and then re-elected in 2014 and 2016 before he sought the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Ted Cruz. Despite losing the election, O'Rourke set a record for the most votes ever cast for a Democrat in a midterm election in Texas.

O'Rourke announced his candidacy in 2019 for the 2020 United States presidential election. Despite suspending his campaign later that year, O'Rourke endorsed Joe Biden. In 2022, O'Rourke won the Democratic nomination for the gubernatorial election but was defeated by Republican incumbent Greg Abbott in the general election. O'Rourke continues to comment on political issues post-candidacy and speaks on issues regarding voting rights, immigration, political activism, etc.