Beto O’Rourke declines to invite Biden to campaign with him in Texas
By Aaron Pellish
Beto O’Rourke, who announced his campaign for Texas governor last week, declined to invite President Joe Biden to campaign alongside him, pushing a message of nonpartisan unity in his upcoming bid for the highest office in Texas.
O’Rourke said his campaign is “not going to be about anyone from outside of our state,” when asked by CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union” whether he would welcome Biden to Texas to help him campaign. When pressed for a second time whether he’d want Biden to visit the state, he again declined to extend an invitation.
“This campaign in Texas is not going to be about Joe Biden. It’s not going to be about Donald Trump. It’s not going to be about anyone from outside of our state. This is going to be about the people of Texas and what the people of Texas want,” O’Rourke said. “I’m focused on Texas and on my fellow Texans. Those are the people most important to me. There’s no politician, there’s no other person from outside of this state who can help change the course of this election, for better or for worse.”
O’Rourke’s comments reflect a broader disapproval with Biden nationally and suggest a visit from the President could hurt his campaign more than help. Two polls last week reaffirmed Biden’s worsening popularity among Americans. A Quinnipiac University poll showed 36% of respondents approve of Biden’s handling of his job, compared to 53% who disapprove. A Marquette University Law School poll measured Biden’s approval rating at 49 percent against 51 percent who disapprove.
O’Rourke said he wants his campaign to reach across party lines and unite Texans to advance their priorities, saying, “It’s the time for Texas to realize our full potential.”
“I want to help bring this state together not as Democrats, not as Republicans, but as Texans, and get back after doing the big things that Texas used to be known for,” O’Rourke said.
This is a breaking story and will be updated.
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