WaPo: “Robert Francis “Beto” O’Rourke has spent 1,175 of the past 2,048 days of his life running for office. Three races in six years: U.S. Senate, thenpresident, now governor. O’Rourke is young, just 50 years old. He has become the emblem of unrealized ambition in the Democratic Party, a candidate who has kept going and going and may keep going still, even if he falls short on Tuesday. Polls say Abbott, the eight-year Republicanincumbent, a conservative stalwart and a possible presidential contender,has widened his lead in the final stretch of the race. Early-vote numbers in Texas are down compared with 2018, when O’Rourke capitalized on opposition to Donald Trump’s presidency. O’Rourke is well known throughout Texas, but he has attached himself to progressive ideas that many Texans never liked. “Hell yes, we’re going to take your AR-15, your AK-47,” he said during his presidential bid, promoting mandatory gun buybacks.
Across the country, Democrats are worried about energizing voters, even in deep-blue states like New York. Control of the House seems all but gone for Democrats, and the Senate majority hangs by a seat here, or a seat there, in Pennsylvania or Georgia or Arizona or Nevada. And then there isO’Rourke,here in Texas, still going, still trying.
“We gotta do everything we can, right?”
“We all need some hope right now. We gotta make sure the hope is fulfilled.”
“We gotta win.””