Texas gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke makes campaign stop at UTEP
EL PASO, Texas -- Democratic candidate for governor of Texas, Beto O'Rourke, stopped in his hometown on Thursday.
O'Rourke visited a polling location at the University of Texas at El Paso on Thursday.
The candidate made it a point to go after young voters.
"Young voters are going to win this election and it is going to be young voters like these UTEP students right here in El Paso. It makes me really proud in the way that El Pasoans are turning out right now. They are turning out to reduce gun violence. They are turning out to restore the right for a woman to make a choice about her own body. They are turning out to have the backs of their educators. They are turning out to make sure we protect the right to vote and ensure this democracy works for everyone," he said.
The candidate discussed various issues with voters including reproductive rights, gun control and education across the state. O'Rourke said he understands the needs of the El Paso community.
"On the contrary to have someone who is actually from the border, who is serving as governor means that we get the resources that we need. We have a seat at the table and it also means that you have someone who speaks about the border with pride instead of with fear," O'Rourke said.
Other politicians were also present at the rally including Congresswoman Veronica Escobar and El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego.
Rep. Escobar said, "This is historic. We have the opportunity to send to the governor’s mansion an El Pasoan, a paseño, a fronterizo- one of our own."
The candidate cast his ballot during his stop at the Borderland, along with his mother and wife.
During his visit, O'Rourke also talked about his opponent Republican Governor Greg Abbott.
"Just the level of failure we have seen from Greg Abbott. We are leading in all of the worst categories right now, whether it is inflation, whether it is the number of school shootings, whether it is maternal mortality, or whether it is the fact that we are the least insured state in America. There are so many to replace him and vote change and I think that is what people are doing, and they are going to do it in record numbers," the Democratic candidate said.
Students who were present at the rally told ABC-7 they supported O'Rourke's policies and ideas.
