Friday, 15/03/2019 16:37 (GMT+7)
Beto O’Rourke on March 14th announced he will seek the Democratic nomination for President in the 2020 election.
Beto O’Rourke announces run for Presidency (Source: thehill.com)
In his campaign video, the Democratic rising star said the US was facing a “defining moment of truth”.
"The challenges that we face right now, the interconnected crises in our economy, our democracy and our climate have never been greater...They will either consume us, or they will afford us the greatest opportunity to unleash the genius of the United States of America,” he added.
He outlined priorities of fixing democracy, supporting workers, prioritizing health care, and improving lawful immigration. O’Rourke then said, “This is going to be a positive campaign that seeks to bring out the best from every single one of us.”
Mr. O’Rourke, 46, is the 15th Democrat to declare a bid for the White House.
O’Rourke is an American businessman and politician of the Democratic Party who represented Texas’s 16th congressional district for three terms in the US House of Representative.
A native of El Pasco, Texas, O’Rourke served on the EI Pasco City Council from 2005 to 2011. O’Rourke was elected to the US House of Representatives in 2012 after defeating incumbent Silvestre Reyes in a Democratic primary. Instead of seeking re-election in 2018, he ran for US Senate and was narrowly defeated by Republican incumbent Senator Ted Cruz.
O’Rourke’s decision to run for President is not a surprise to those who have been following him. In late February, he said he and his wife had “made a decision about how we can best serve our country” and were “excited to share it with everyone soon.”/.
Compiled by BTA