If you’re in the camp that hopes Beto O’Rourke will drop out of the presidential race to run against Republican Sen. John Cornyn, tough luck.
During a Thursday appearance on The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell, the former El Paso congressman seemed to shut down any possibility that he’d pursue a 2020 Senate run.
“That would not be good enough for this community,” the Democrat told O’Donnell. “That would not be good enough for El Paso. That would not be good enough for this country.”
Though O’Rourke narrowly lost to Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018, he hasn’t expressed any interest in going up against Cornyn, who some analysts say has a weaker hold on his seat than Cruz. Even so, O’Rourke said he isn’t tempted to serve in the Senate.
The statement comes after an editorial from the Houston Chronicle pleaded for O’Rourke to drop out of the presidential race with this enticing message: “Texas needs you.”
But, as Politico points out, the El Paso native still could change his mind.
After all, O’Rourke said he wouldn’t run for president when he lost to Cruz last November, yet look where we are now.
“I’m running for president, and I’m taking the fight directly to Donald Trump,” O’Rourke told O’Donnell.
The host didn’t let up, though, asking the former congressman if he had December 9 marked on his calendar. That’s the last day someone can file to appear in the Senate Democratic primary in Texas.
O’Rourke laughed but didn’t fall for the bait.
“Let me make your show the place where I tell you and I tell the country I will not in any scenario run for the United States Senate,” he said. “I’m running for president. I’m running for this country.”
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This article appears in Aug 14-27, 2019.
