Key Facts
Background
O’Rourke graduated from Columbia University in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in English. He is a former representative on a city council and a small business owner. Powered by People, the organization he founded, has helped register over 250,000 unregistered Texans to vote since its inception in December 2019. Beto is married to Amy O’Rourke and together they are raising three children in El Paso
Key Issues
Abortion
O’Rourke wishes to repeal the Hyde Amendment, a legislative provision barring the use of federal funds to pay for abortion. He wants to expand access to abortion and other reproductive healthcare services for Texan women.
Civil Rights
O’Rourke believes that conversion therapy for sexuality and gender identity should be banned. He also supports commissions investigating reparations for slavery.
Crime
O’Rourke intends to allocate more resources to fight hate crime against black trans women. He believed that felons should be able to vote while incarcerated. He also believes Texas should decriminalize opioid and drug use.
Environment
O’Rourke wishes to achieve net zero greenhouse emissions on public lands and price carbon via cap-and-trade to disincentivize use of carbon.
Immigration
O’Rourke intends to expedite the process of allowing asylum seekers to immigrate to the U.S. He wants to end family separation while maintaining that unauthorized immigration is illegal.
Endorsements
Kathleen Rice, Representative for New York
Salud Carbajal, Representative for California
Sean Maloney, Representative for New York
Stephanie Murphy, Representative for Florida
Veronica Escobar, Representative for Texas
The Houston Chronicle
Planned Parenthood Action Fund
NARAL Pro-Choice America
National Farmers Union
American Farm Bureau Federation
American Veterinary Medical Association
Animal Welfare Institute
American Library Association
American Council of Engineering Companies
National Small Business Association (NSBA)
United States Chamber of Commerce
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
League of Women Voters
Hispanic Federation, LCLAA, LULAC, Mi Familia Vota, NCLR, and Voto Latino
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
National Education Association
Outdoor Industry Association Political Action Committee
National Iranian American Council
Sources
https://ballotpedia.org/Presidential_election_endorsements,_2020
https://www.texastribune.org/2022/01/18/beto-orourke-fundraising-governor/