Changes

In April 2018, O'Rourke addressed a gathering of five hundred at [[Texas Tech University]] in the usually Republican city of [[Lubbock]]. In his speech, he denounced what he called Republican "paranoia, the fear, the divisiveness, the smallness that distinguishes that kind of thinking and leadership." Instead, O'Rourke vowed to promote "confidence and a courage and a strength and a kindness and a big heart that can only come from Texas."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lubbockonline.com/news/20180408/orourke-town-halls-attracts-500-plus-at-texas-tech|title=O'Rourke town hall attracts 500-plus at Texas Tech|publisher=''The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal''|accessdate=April 8, 2018}}</ref> At that same meeting, O'Rourke said that he had seen enough evidence to warrant the [[impeachment]] of President Trump. A few days later at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, O'Rourke denied that he is pre-committed to impeachment: "I never brought this issue up." O'Rourke described impeachment as "perhaps the most serious and solemn responsibility" for members of Congress and "not something we should trifle with or campaign on."<ref>Gilbert Garcia, "Promises to impeach Trump send wrong message for Democrats" (commentary), ''The San Antonio Express-News'', April 29, 2018, pp. 1, A2.</ref> Ultimately Cruz won Lubbock County, 58,709 (64.2 percent) to O'Rourke's 31,976 (35 percent),

In April 2018, O'Rourke addressed a gathering of five hundred at [[Texas Tech University]] in the usually Republican city of [[Lubbock]]. In his speech, he denounced what he called Republican "paranoia, the fear, the divisiveness, the smallness that distinguishes that kind of thinking and leadership." Instead, O'Rourke vowed to promote "confidence and a courage and a strength and a kindness and a big heart that can only come from Texas."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lubbockonline.com/news/20180408/orourke-town-halls-attracts-500-plus-at-texas-tech|title=O'Rourke town hall attracts 500-plus at Texas Tech|publisher=''The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal''|accessdate=April 8, 2018}}</ref> At that same meeting, O'Rourke said that he had seen enough evidence to warrant the [[impeachment]] of President Trump. A few days later at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, O'Rourke denied that he is pre-committed to impeachment: "I never brought this issue up." O'Rourke described impeachment as "perhaps the most serious and solemn responsibility" for members of Congress and "not something we should trifle with or campaign on."<ref>Gilbert Garcia, "Promises to impeach Trump send wrong message for Democrats" (commentary), ''The San Antonio Express-News'', April 29, 2018, pp. 1, A2.</ref> Ultimately Cruz won Lubbock County, 58,709 (64.2 percent) to O'Rourke's 31,976 (35 percent),

Bssed on O'Rourke's successful fund-raising, large crowds at campaign rallies, and respectable opinion polling, the magazine ''Politico'' declared that "Beto-mania" was sweeping Texas, an early warning to Senator Ted Cruz that he could be unseated in a "blue wave" in the November general election.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/07/09/beto-mania-sweeps-texas-218961|title=Beto-mania Sweeps Texas|publisher=''Politico'' magazine|date=July 9, 2018|author=Ben Schreckinger|accessdate=July 13, 2018}}</ref>

Bssed on O'Rourke's successful fund-raising, large crowds at campaign rallies, and respectable opinion polling, the magazine ''Politico'' declared that "Beto-mania" was sweeping Texas, an early warning to Senator Ted Cruz that he could be unseated in a "blue wave" in the November general election.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/07/09/beto-mania-sweeps-texas-218961|title=Beto-mania Sweeps Texas|publisher=''Politico'' magazine|date=July 9, 2018|author=Ben Schreckinger|accessdate=July 13, 2018}}</ref>

 

In August 2018, O'Rourke embarked on a 34-day road trip of all 254 counties in a white Dodge Grand Caravan. He stopped in such faraway rural communities as Archer City on the north central plains, which is portrayed as a dying town in the 1971 Peter Bogdanovich film, ''The Last Picture Show''. O'Rourke is the first Democrat to campaign for the Senate in Archer City since [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] in 1948. Rarely has a Democratic candidate in Texas paid such close attention to rural counties.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lmtonline.com/news/politics/texas/article/Democrat-Beto-O-Rourke-woos-rural-Texans-in-GOP-13145491.php?utm_campaign=hptexas|title=Democrat Beto O'Rourke woos rural Texans in GOP strongholds, ignoring party playbook|publisher=''The Laredo Morning Times''|date=August 10, 2018|author=Kevin Diaz|accessdate=August 11, 2018}}</ref> Later in the month in Texas City in Galveston County, O'Rourke drew an enthusiastic crowd of more than eight hundred at the Charles T. Doyle Convention Center. The crowd was compared to the throngs in 1990 that came out to support the Democrat [[Ann Richards]] in her successful gubernatorial race against Republican Clayton Wheat Williams, Jr. In his speech, the normally highly partisan O'Rourke called for "[[bipartisanship]]" and noted the passage of a veterans mental health care bill that he had sponsored, which President Trump signed into law in April: "It was a sign the different parties could — and should — still work together," O'Rourke said.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.galvnews.com/article_9f257c13-88c9-5bd8-87ec-4e4b28750427.html|title=O'Rourke draws large, enthusiastic crowd in Texas City|author=John Wayne Ferguson|publisher= ''The Galveston County Daily News''|date=August 22, 2018|accessdate=September 9, 2018}}</ref>

In August 2018, O'Rourke embarked on a 34-day road trip of all 254 counties in a white Dodge Grand Caravan. He stopped in such faraway rural communities as Archer City on the north central plains, which is portrayed as a dying town in the 1971 Peter Bogdanovich film, ''The Last Picture Show''. O'Rourke is the first Democrat to campaign for the Senate in Archer City since [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] in 1948. Rarely has a Democratic candidate in Texas paid such close attention to rural counties.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lmtonline.com/news/politics/texas/article/Democrat-Beto-O-Rourke-woos-rural-Texans-in-GOP-13145491.php?utm_campaign=hptexas|title=Democrat Beto O'Rourke woos rural Texans in GOP strongholds, ignoring party playbook|publisher=''The Laredo Morning Times''|date=August 10, 2018|author=Kevin Diaz|accessdate=August 11, 2018}}</ref> Later in the month in Texas City in Galveston County, O'Rourke drew an enthusiastic crowd of more than eight hundred at the Charles T. Doyle Convention Center. The crowd was compared to the throngs in 1990 that came out to support the Democrat [[Ann Richards]] in her successful gubernatorial race against Republican Clayton Wheat Williams, Jr. In his speech, the normally highly partisan O'Rourke called for "[[bipartisanship]]" and noted the passage of a veterans mental health care bill that he had sponsored, which President Trump signed into law in April: "It was a sign the different parties could — and should — still work together," O'Rourke said.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.galvnews.com/article_9f257c13-88c9-5bd8-87ec-4e4b28750427.html|title=O'Rourke draws large, enthusiastic crowd in Texas City|author=John Wayne Ferguson|publisher= ''The Galveston County Daily News''|date=August 22, 2018|accessdate=September 9, 2018}}</ref>