O'Rourke Credits 110,000 Young Voters for Texas Upset
Former senator says his organization’s college campus outreach drove turnout that helped break a 32-year Republican streak in statewide races.
By Matthew Collins ·
More than 110,000 young Texans participated in Tuesday's election through the voter outreach organization led by former U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke. That level of engagement contributed to a historic night for Democrats, who ended a 32-year losing streak in statewide races.
James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton for a U.S. Senate seat, while Gina Hinojosa defeated three-term Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. O'Rourke, who lost statewide contests in 2018 and 2022, attributed the shift to sustained effort rather than a single moment. "I didn't know when it would happen, but I knew it would happen, and I knew it was a matter of time and effort," he said in a phone interview.
The former representative credited his organization, Powered by People, with building the base for the victory. For two years, volunteers registered voters and maintained contact with students at institutions including the University of Houston-Downtown, Rice University, Lone Star College, and Prairie View A&M University. O'Rourke stated that the turnout among young people in the program was high.
O'Rourke also cited the influence of U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, who lost the Democratic Senate primary to Talarico. He said Crockett generated excitement among younger voters who might not have otherwise participated. "So many people made this possible and James and Gina were the ones to bring it home," O'Rourke said.
The former senator also played a role in encouraging Hinojosa to run for governor. According to one familiar with the conversation, O'Rourke told her that Texas needed more than one strong Democrat on the ballot to break the Republican hold. "Not one person can win Texas," he reportedly told her. "It has to be two."
Asked if he would run for office again, O'Rourke said he is always in for whatever is helpful. He has spent the past four years focusing on organizing voters rather than campaigning. If circumstances arise where he could contribute more as a candidate, he said he would run again. Otherwise, he will continue his volunteer work.
O'Rourke exchanged text messages with Talarico and Hinojosa since their victories. He expects to speak with them soon. "It's nice to put the effort in," he said. "Maybe it says something that you came close. What matters is winning, and they won."
