Beto O'Rourke

	Beto O'Rourke
	Democratic National Convention, 2016
Status:	Superdelegate
State:	Texas
Supporting:	Hillary Clinton
	Delegates to the DNC 2016
	Calendar and delegate rules overview • Types of delegates • State election law and delegates • Superdelegates by state

Beto O'Rourke (Democratic Party) was a member of the U.S. House, representing Texas' 16th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2013. He left office on January 3, 2019.

O'Rourke (Democratic Party) ran for election for Governor of Texas. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.

On November 15, 2021, O'Rourke announced his candidacy for Governor of Texas in a video posted to Twitter.^[1] This is O'Rourke's third campaign since his bid for U.S. Senate in 2018.^[2]

O'Rourke was a Democratic candidate for president of the United States in 2020. He announced his candidacy on March 14, 2019.^[3] On November 1, 2019, O'Rourke announced he was ending his presidential campaign.^[4] From 2013 to 2019, O'Rourke was a Democratic member of the U.S. House, representing Texas' 16th Congressional District. He was first elected in 2012 after defeating incumbent Rep. Silvestre Reyes in the Democratic primary. O'Rourke also served on the El Paso City Council from 2005 to 2011.

In 2018, O'Rourke was a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Texas. Incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz (R) defeated O’Rourke in the general election by a margin of 3 percentage points.

O'Rourke completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2019. Click here to read the survey answers.

See O'Rourke's presidential campaign overview and Presidential candidates, 2020, for more information about the 2020 presidential election.

Biography

Beto O'Rourke was born in El Paso, Texas. O'Rourke earned a bachelor's degree in English from Columbia University in 1995. His career experience includes co-founding the IT consulting company Stanton Street and working as an art mover, a nanny, and a proofreader with publisher H.W. Wilson Company. O'Rourke cofounded Powered by People.^[5]^[6]

Elections

2022

General election

General election for Governor of Texas

The following candidates ran in the general election for Governor of Texas on November 8, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Greg Abbott (R)	54.8	4,437,099
	Beto O'Rourke (D)	43.9	3,553,656
	Mark Tippetts (L)	1.0	81,932
	Delilah Barrios (G)	0.4	28,584
	Jacqueline Abernathy (Independent) (Write-in)	0.0	1,243
	Mark Goloby (Independent) (Write-in)	0.0	394

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 8,102,908
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Reginald Jennings II (Independent)
Jorge Franco (Independent)
Jeremy Rios (Independent)
Ricardo Turullols-Bonilla (Independent)
Justin Cunneen (Independent)
Sean Sharp (Independent)
Demetra Wysinger (Independent)
Chioma Okoro (Independent)
Star Locke (Independent)
Raul Cortina (Independent)
Patrick Wynne (Reform Party)
Jal Dennis (Independent)
Deirdre Dickson-Gilbert (Independent)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Governor of Texas

Beto O'Rourke defeated Joy Diaz, Michael Cooper, Rich Wakeland, and Inocencio Barrientez in the Democratic primary for Governor of Texas on March 1, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Beto O'Rourke	91.4	983,182
		Joy Diaz	3.1	33,622
		Michael Cooper	3.0	32,673
		Rich Wakeland	1.2	13,237
	Submit photo	Inocencio Barrientez	1.2	12,887

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,075,601
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Governor of Texas

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for Governor of Texas on March 1, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Greg Abbott	66.5	1,299,059
		Allen B. West	12.3	239,557
		Donald Huffines	12.0	234,138
		Chad Prather	3.8	74,173
	Submit photo	Rick Perry	3.1	61,424
		Kandy Kaye Horn	1.2	23,605
	Submit photo	Paul Belew	0.6	11,387
		Daniel Harrison	0.6	10,829

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,954,172
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Green convention

Green convention for Governor of Texas

Delilah Barrios advanced from the Green convention for Governor of Texas on April 9, 2022.

		Candidate
✔		Delilah Barrios (G)

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for Governor of Texas

Mark Tippetts defeated Fidel Castillo in the Libertarian convention for Governor of Texas on April 10, 2022.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Fidel Castillo (L)
✔		Mark Tippetts (L)

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Andrew Jewell (L)
Daniel Behrman (L)

Campaign finance

2020

Presidency

See also: Presidential candidates, 2020

Former Vice President Joe Biden (D) won the presidential election on November 3, 2020. Biden received 306 electoral votes and President Donald Trump (R) received 232 electoral votes. In the national popular vote, Biden received 81.2 million votes and Trump received 74.2 million votes.

On March 14, 2019, O'Rourke announced that he was running for president.^[3] O'Rourke announced he was ending his campaign on November 1, 2019.^[4]

Ballotpedia compiled the following resources about O'Rourke and the 2020 presidential election:

Recent news stories about the 2020 presidential election;
An overview of key national and state campaign staffers;
Endorsements from politicians, public figures, and organizations;
An overview of candidate campaign travel; and
A list of other presidential candidates who are running for election.

Click here for O'Rourke's 2020 presidential campaign overview.

2018

See also: United States Senate election in Texas, 2018

See also: United States Senate election in Texas (March 6, 2018 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for U.S. Senate Texas

Incumbent Ted Cruz defeated Beto O'Rourke and Neal Dikeman in the general election for U.S. Senate Texas on November 6, 2018.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Ted Cruz (R)	50.9	4,260,553
	Beto O'Rourke (D)	48.3	4,045,632
	Neal Dikeman (L)	0.8	65,470

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 8,371,655
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Bob McNeil (Independent)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Texas

Beto O'Rourke defeated Sema Hernandez and Edward Kimbrough in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Texas on March 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Beto O'Rourke	61.8	640,769
		Sema Hernandez	23.7	245,847
	Submit photo	Edward Kimbrough	14.5	149,851

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,036,467
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. Senate Texas

Incumbent Ted Cruz defeated Mary Miller, Bruce Jacobson Jr., Stefano de Stefano, and Geraldine Sam in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Texas on March 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Ted Cruz	85.3	1,315,146
		Mary Miller	6.1	94,274
		Bruce Jacobson Jr.	4.2	64,452
		Stefano de Stefano	2.9	44,251
	Submit photo	Geraldine Sam	1.5	22,767

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,540,890
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2016

See also: Texas' 16th Congressional District election, 2016

Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Democratic. Incumbent Beto O'Rourke (D) defeated Jaime Perez (L) and Mary Gourdoux (G) in the general election on November 8, 2016. O'Rourke defeated Ben Mendoza in the Democratic primary on March 1, 2016. No Republicans filed to run in the race.^[7]^[8]

**U.S. House, Texas District 16 General Election, 2016**
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Beto O'Rourke Incumbent	85.7%	150,228
	Libertarian	Jaime Perez	10%	17,491
	Green	Mary Gourdoux	4.3%	7,510
Total Votes				175,229
Source: Texas Secretary of State

**U.S. House, Texas District 16 Democratic Primary, 2016**
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Beto O'Rourke Incumbent	85.6%	40,051
Ben Mendoza	14.4%	6,749
Total Votes		46,800
Source: Texas Secretary of State

2014

See also: Texas' 16th Congressional District elections, 2014

O'Rourke won re-election to the U.S. House in 2014. He won the Democratic nomination in the primary election on March 4, 2014, with no opposition. He defeated Corey Roen (R) and Jaime Perez (L) in the general election on November 4, 2014.

**U.S. House, Texas District 16 General Election, 2014**
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Beto O'Rourke Incumbent	67.5%	49,338
	Republican	Corey Roen	29.2%	21,324
	Libertarian	Jaime Perez	3.3%	2,443
Total Votes				73,105
Source: Texas Secretary of State

2012

See also: Texas' 16th Congressional District elections, 2012

O'Rourke won the 2012 election for the U.S. House, representing Texas' 16th District. He defeated incumbent Silvestre Reyes and challengers Jerome Tilghman, Ben Mendoza, and Paul Johnson, Jr. in the Democratic primary on May 29, 2012. He then defeated Barbara Carrasco (R) and Junart Sodoy (L) in the general election on November 6, 2012.^[9]^[10]

**U.S. House, Texas District 16 General Election, 2012**
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Beto O'Rourke	65.4%	101,403
	Republican	Barbara Carrasco	32.9%	51,043
	Libertarian	Junart Sodoy	1.7%	2,559
Total Votes				155,005
Source: Texas Secretary of State

**U.S. House, Texas District 16 Democratic Primary, 2012**
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Beto O'Rourke	50.5%	23,261
Silvestre Reyes Incumbent	44.3%	20,440
Jerome Tilghman	2.8%	1,270
Ben Mendoza	1.5%	701
Paul Johnson, Jr.	0.9%	419
Total Votes		46,091

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

Beto O'Rourke did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign website

O'Rourke's campaign website stated the following:

“

POWER GRID & UTILITY BILLS

I will fix the power grid to prioritize Texas families, not massive energy corporations.

Texas is the energy capital of the world. We should never have to worry that the lights won’t turn on, that the heat won’t run, or that we’ll freeze to death in our own homes. Yet the power grid failed last February, killing over 700 of our fellow Texans and leaving millions in the dark and cold for days.

It didn’t happen because of some act of mother nature; it happened because Greg Abbott ignored repeated warnings about the vulnerability of our electricity grid. He refused to take action even after families froze, choosing to prioritize the profits of his campaign donors in the energy industry over the lives of our fellow Texans.

And to add insult to injury, each of us is stuck paying the Abbott Tax — higher utility bills for the coming DECADES — because of it.

As governor, I will put people over profit every single time, and I will keep the lights on in the state of Texas.

We will fix the power grid to prioritize Texas families, not massive energy corporations. We will investigate and hold accountable the energy companies that price gouged Texans as families froze and make sure they are never allowed to do it again. And we will provide rate relief and direct assistance to Texans who are being forced to pay higher utility bills to clean up Greg Abbott’s mess.

I WILL KEEP THE LIGHTS ON IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.

We will fully weatherize the power grid and natural gas supply so that our energy infrastructure doesn’t fail us in extreme weather. We will connect Texas to the national grid so that we can draw down extra power during emergencies, and bring in billions of dollars in new state revenue by selling excess power during normal times. And we will invest in energy efficiency programs that not only increase the reliability of the grid, but also send money back to Texans to lower their utility bills.

COVID

We will get kids back in school and get Texans back to work.

It’s shameful that over 70,000 Texans have died from Covid, that Texas leads the nation in child Covid hospitalizations, and that businesses and families continue to suffer because Greg Abbott refuses to take Covid seriously.

When I’m governor, we will beat this thing and get back to business in Texas.

We will follow the science and give power back to local leaders to protect the public health of their communities. We’ll get people back to work and make sure schools, hospitals, and small businesses have the resources and support they need to say open and provide for those in their communities.

We’ve got this.

WORLD-CLASS SCHOOLS

I will fully fund public schools and fully support teachers, students, and parents.

Public education is at the top of my priorities. If we want the best jobs in America to be right here in Texas, we need the best schools in America to be right here in Texas.

When I talk to teachers across the state, they tell me they lack the resources and flexibility they need to fully unlock a lifelong love of learning in the students in their classroom. Greg Abbott has underfunded Texas schools by $4,000 per student compared to the national average, and our hyper-focus on standardized testing has tied the hands of educators, forcing them to teach to a test instead of teaching to the children in front of them.

I WILL FULLY FUND PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Texas teachers are doing the most they can with the limited resources they have, but they’re burnt out, helping to explain why one-third leave the profession by their fifth year. Our teachers are underpaid by about $10,000 compared to those in other states, and educators who retired after 2004 haven’t received a single cost of living adjustment on their retirement benefits.

As governor, I will fully fund public schools and fully support teachers, students, and parents.

We will put more money into our kids’ classrooms and reject any effort to take your public tax dollars out of your schools to send them away to private education. We will recruit and retain the best and brightest educators by raising teacher pay, expanding loan forgiveness programs, and strengthening health care and retirement benefits so that teachers no longer have to work a second or third job just to make ends meet. And we will finally end this state’s over-reliance on high-stakes, high-pressure standardized testing so that we can focus on measures that better inform instruction, address student learning gaps, and provide appropriate feedback to educators.

HIGH-QUALITY JOBS

I want the best jobs in America to come right here to Texas.

Texas is the ninth largest economy in the world. How is it that over 40 percent of Texans don’t make a living wage?

As a former business owner in my hometown of El Paso, I created dozens of high-skill, high-wage jobs that one might not expect to see in a border community. As governor, I will make the investments necessary to help entrepreneurs create great jobs in EVERY part of the state.

HOW IS IT THAT OVER 40 PERCENT OF TEXANS DON'T MAKE A LIVING WAGE?

Unlike Greg Abbott, I will partner with — not undermine — the Texas labor movement to fight for living wages, great benefits, and dignity on the job.

I will increase state funding for higher education, technical training, and trade programs to build a more skilled workforce so that when companies move to Texas, they can hire locally instead of importing talent.

And to meet this planet’s climate crisis and update our energy infrastructure, I will follow the lead of the Texas labor movement in pursuing an ambitious Texas Climate Jobs Project, which aims to create 1.1 million high-paying, high-quality union jobs in the years to come.

AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE

'I will expand Medicaid and bring your federal tax dollars back home to Texas.

I want to make sure every Texan is well enough to go to school, pursue a career, and live up to their full potential. But with 1 in 5 Texans uninsured, Texas leads the nation in the number of people who can’t afford to see a doctor or fill a prescription.

While expanding Medicaid in Texas is our best shot at turning things around, Greg Abbott has refused to take action, keeping $100 billion of our own federal tax dollars from coming to Texas to expand health coverage. Local taxpayers and hospitals are forced to pick up the tab on all of that uncompensated care, contributing to our skyrocketing property taxes and forcing more hospitals to close in Texas than in any other state.

TEXAS LEADS THE NATION IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO CAN'T AFFORD TO SEE A DOCTOR.

As governor, I will expand Medicaid to bring billions of your federal tax dollars back home to Texas, help more people see a doctor, keep rural hospitals open, and reduce your local property taxes.

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

I trust women to make their own health care decisions.

I trust Texas women to make their own decisions about their own bodies.

WE WILL REPEAL GREG ABBOTT'S DANGEROUS ANTI-CHOICE LAW.

In a state that has lost half of its women’s health clinics in the past decade and already leads much of the nation and the rest of the developed world in maternal mortality, this state’s persistent attack on reproductive health care is dangerous, making it even harder for women to receive the care they need.

When I’m governor, we will repeal Greg Abbott’s dangerous anti-choice law that places a $10,000 bounty on the head of anyone who supports a woman who exercises her right to control her own health and decide her own future.

We will expand Medicaid, increase Medicaid coverage for pregnant women to one year post-partum, and launch an aggressive program to combat this state’s maternal mortality crisis.

RURAL INVESTMENT

I will be a partner for rural communities.

I want every part of Texas to share in this state’s wealth.

But right now, when great jobs come to Texas, they’re not coming to rural communities. That’s not because they’re not full of hardworking people; it’s because state leaders have failed to partner with rural communities to invest in education, health care, and broadband, making it harder and harder to recruit and retain talent and encourage economic investment.

Just a couple of examples: Because Greg Abbott has failed to expand Medicaid, more rural hospitals have closed in Texas than in any other state. And because he vetoed rural broadband support legislation last year, rural Texans could soon be paying anywhere between $20-$100 more on their phone and internet bills.

As governor, I will be a partner for rural communities.

I WANT EVERY PART OF TEXAS TO SHARE IN THIS STATE'S WEALTH.

I will expand Medicaid to help keep rural hospitals open and ensure no Texan has to drive hundreds of miles just to see a doctor. I will create incentive allotment programs for rural teachers and physicians to ensure rural communities can recruit and retain the very best talent. And I will expand access to affordable broadband to ensure that students can do homework online, businesses can succeed, and families can connect with each other.

VOTING RIGHTS

It shouldn’t be hard to vote in Texas.

Every citizen in this state should be able to vote.

Greg Abbott has taken us in the wrong direction, making Texas the hardest state in which to register to vote and cast a ballot. Last year, he signed into law the most extreme voter suppression law in the nation, which is only going to make it harder.

Texas has closed more polling places than any other state in the past decade. Our onerous voter ID laws are particularly difficult for young, elderly, and low-income Texans to meet. We’re one of just a handful of states that does not offer online voter registration, and new, confusing mail-in ballot laws have complicated the process for elderly and disabled Texans, many of whom have relied on that form of voting for decades.

As governor, I will ensure every eligible voter can access the ballot box and have a say in the future of our state.

We will pass online and same-day voter registration, expand eligible forms of voter ID, reduce obstacles to voting by mail, expand access to polling sites, and establish nonpartisan redistricting commissions to ensure that Texas voters have the power to pick their leaders, not the other way around.

ENERGY LEADERSHIP

I will expand Texas’ energy leadership.

I want Texas to maintain its role as the energy capital of the world for years to come. I will expand the energy jobs we create in Texas and ensure we are a leader in the fight against climate change.

TEXAS IS UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO LEAD THE ENERGY EXPANSION MOVEMENT.

Knowing that we will lose our leadership in oil and gas if we don’t work seriously to remove all emissions from the industry, I will aggressively enforce pollution laws and create jobs in emission reduction strategies like carbon capture and storage.

I will add to the hundreds of thousands of oil and gas jobs in Texas by pursuing the Texas labor movement’s Texas Climate Jobs Project, which aims to create 1.1 million high-paying, high-quality jobs over the next 25 years by investing in geothermal power generation, hydrogen-fueled energy, offshore wind, solar generation, electric vehicles, energy efficiency, and more.

Texas is uniquely positioned to lead the energy expansion movement. We already have the workforce, technology, and experience to get this done. We just need the right leadership.

GUN SAFETY

We can protect the Second Amendment while protecting Texans from gun violence.

Texas has a long, proud tradition of responsible gun ownership. Like millions of Texans, I grew up understanding the responsibility that comes with owning and using a firearm, learning how to safely and responsibly use firearms and passing those teachings onto my family.

To uphold that tradition, we must change how easy it is for people to use firearms irresponsibly in this state. Over 3,500 Texans are killed by gun violence every year. Women in Texas are 24 percent more likely to be murdered with a gun than women in other states. And four of the worst mass shootings in American history have taken place right here in Texas.

Instead of working with Texans to address these challenges, Governor Abbott turned his back on law enforcement and Texans from across the state when he signed into law the dangerous permitless carry measure that allows almost any Texan to carry a loaded gun in public with no background check, training, or permit.

WHEN I’M GOVERNOR, WE WILL REPEAL PERMITLESS CARRY.

And while it might not be the easy or politically safe thing to say, I strongly believe that we need to reduce the number of AR-15’s and AK-47’s on our streets. When a gunman drove to a Walmart in my hometown of El Paso and managed to kill nearly two dozen of my neighbors with an AK-47 in under three minutes, it made it all too clear to me that it is far too easy for Texans to get their hands on weapons of war that are designed specifically to kill people in masses in as little time as possible.

Preventing tragedies like these will require making progress on commonsense solutions that most Texans agree on.

Closing the private sale background check loophole may have prevented the 2019 Midland-Odessa shooting;
An effective red flag law system may have prevented the 2019 El Paso shooting;
Effective safe storage and child access prevention laws may have prevented the 2018 Santa Fe shooting;
And stronger domestic violence reporting laws may have prevented the 2017 Sutherland Springs shooting.

Together, we can move forward on these reforms. We can protect the Second Amendment while also protecting our friends, family members, neighbors, and classmates from gun violence.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Keeping the people of Texas safe will be my number one priority.

There will be no more important job for me as governor than keeping the people of Texas safe.

Greg Abbott is focused on the wrong things, and it’s making us less safe.

At a time when traffic fatalities have reached a 40-year high in the state of Texas, he took state troopers off the roads in communities across Texas in order to use them as the backdrop for his photo ops at the border.

Despite the fact that Texas leads the nation in the number of police officers killed by gunfire, Abbott turned his back on law enforcement when they asked him not to pass the dangerous permitless carry law that allows nearly any Texan to carry a loaded gun in public with no background check, training, or permit.

And under Greg Abbott’s leadership, fewer and fewer violent crimes committed in our communities are being solved. When he took office in 2015, the clearance rates for murder and rape cases were 71 percent and 38 percent, respectively. Today, those rates are down to just 53 percent and 20 percent.

GREG ABBOTT IS FOCUSED ON THE WRONG THINGS, AND IT'S MAKING US LESS SAFE.

As governor, I will focus on bringing down violent crime in our communities.

I will make sure law enforcement agencies have the resources they need to prevent and solve violent crime. I will also invest in mental health services, crisis counselors, and social workers to reduce the burden on police officers and more effectively address homelessness, mental health challenges, and substance abuse. And I will bring law enforcement and community leaders together to ensure officers are well trained and accountable to the communities they serve.

MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION

We will stop locking Texans up for marijuana.

We shouldn’t be locking Texans up for a substance that is legal in much of the rest of the country.

Marijuana arrests have created vast racial disparities in our criminal justice system, generated an unnecessary burden on Texas taxpayers, and diverted law enforcement officers’ time and attention away from violent crime.

When I’m governor, we will legalize marijuana and expunge the records of those arrested for marijuana possession — and we’ll use the nearly $1 billion in new state revenue and reduced criminal justice costs to invest in public schools and teacher pay raises.

It’s the right thing to do.

BORDER & IMMIGRATION

I will work with Texans — regardless of party — to ensure Texas is THE leader on addressing immigration.

As a fourth-generation border resident raising my family in El Paso, I believe Texas should be THE leader on addressing immigration. No state has more to gain or lose.

Instead of ensuring Texas leads on this issue, Greg Abbott has created chaos and confusion at the border. He disrupted the lives of border communities and sent 10,000 Texas National Guard members to the border to serve as the backdrop for his photo ops, taking them away from their jobs and families while slashing their earned benefits, delaying their pay, and forcing them to live in terrible conditions. Under these circumstances, four Texas Guard troops on the governor’s border mission have tragically taken their own lives in recent months.

I WILL NEVER USE BORDER COMMUNITIES OR LAW ENFORCEMENT AS A POLITICAL PROP.

As governor, I will never use border communities or law enforcement as a political prop. Instead, I will work with Texans — regardless of party — to develop the immigration and border security reforms that will allow us to have a legal, orderly system of immigration and uphold our country’s asylum laws. I will work with our state Congressional delegation and national partners to pursue long-lasting solutions that benefit the Texas economy, encourage more job creation, and guarantee the security that we should expect at our international border.

VETERANS

I will strengthen services for those who have put their lives on the line for this country.

My top priority when I served in Congress was delivering for Texas veterans. I worked with Republicans and Democrats alike to increase the number of mental health care providers in the El Paso VA Clinic, expand access to mental health care for veterans with other than honorable discharges, and pass legislation that grants every separating service member access to a mental health care screening.

TEXAS CAN BECOME THE FIRST STATE TO END HOMELESSNESS FOR VETERANS.

As governor, improving access to services and benefits for those who have put their lives on the line for this country will continue to be a priority for me. I will convene state agencies and veterans organizations to streamline access to health care, housing, mental health, and suicide prevention services for veterans and their families.

With the right leadership, Texas can become the first state to end homelessness for veterans and be the number one destination for veterans and their families by strengthening investments in state education benefits and helping Texas veterans start businesses and pursue jobs in government.^[11]

”

—Beto O'Rourke's campaign website (2022)^[12]

2019

Beto O'Rourke completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2019. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by O'Rourke's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Beto is a fourth-generation Texan, born and raised in El Paso. He has been a small business owner, a city councilmember, a U.S. Congressman, and a candidate for U.S. Senate who won more votes than any Democrat in Texas history. Now he is running for president because he believes we need to fight for America, everyone in America. Beto wants to be the leader for this country that we need right now and that we do not have. Someone who will do everything within their power to bring us together; someone who doesn't inflame, but instead heals; someone who doesn't work with fear but instead inspires hope. He is married to Amy and they have three children.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Beto will ensure every American can live to their full potential because they have the health care, the education, the access to a high-quality job that pays a living wage, and the access to equal opportunity that they need to fully thrive.
Beto will bring a deeply divided country back together again and ensure this country finally works for everyone.
This is a campaign that will always fight for people. We will put people over corporations, people over PACs, people over politics, and people over special interests.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

- Achieving guaranteed, universal, high-quality health care for every person in this country so that everyone can see a doctor, afford their prescriptions, and get the care they need.

- Tackling climate change by ending our dependence on fossil fuels, advancing renewable energy jobs and technologies, and investing in poor and minority communities that bear the brunt of climate change. Rewriting our immigration laws based on our values and interests.

- Reforming our gun laws to implement a national licensing system; ban assault weapons and implement a mandatory buyback program; require universal background checks; close loopholes; enact a federal extreme risk protection order; invest in communities that have experienced the trauma of gun violence; and invest in research to prevent gun violence.

- Passing a new VRA that banishes big money from our politics, ends gerrymandering, combats discriminatory voter ID laws, and enacts universal same-day and automatic voter registration.

- Ensuring an economy that works for all, by raising the minimum wage to $15 dollars, investing in high skill jobs, protecting workers' right to organize, closing gaps in education funding, tackling the student debt crisis, and investing in communities.

- Reforming our criminal justice system, fighting for equal pay for women, passing the Equality Act, providing access to capital for all communities, and aggressively addressing racial disparities in all our public programs.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Beto's personal heroes are his family; his kids, his wife Amy, and his parents. They are the strongest people he knows, they're his role models, his inspiration, and his reasons for running for President.

The community of El Paso has also been a hero of Beto's, especially after their response to a tragic shooting in August that killed 22 people. They have shown strength and courage in how they have taken care of each other and healed.

Beto's political hero is Abraham Lincoln; he faced the toughest test this country has ever seen and brought the country through it.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Elected officials should always put people ahead of special interests while working each day to serve, represent, and fight for everyone in this country.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Whether it was on the City Council or in Congress, Beto has shown he will fight for everyone. His experience living in the diverse community of El Paso also gives him the background to a variety of issues that this country is currently focused on. Beto always does the right thing no matter the political consequences, which is key to returning our democracy to the people instead of following the pollsters, special interests, and lobbyists that too often call the shots.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Beto wants to make the country better for every single person so every one of us can live to our full potential and thrive. That means expanding health care, fighting the threat of climate change head on, giving everyone a shot in this economy, and ensuring everyone is treated with dignity and respect.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Beto worked in his mother's furniture store, a small business in El Paso. He would later work in the library during college and at a furniture moving business. Beto later started his own small technology business that brought high-skill, high-wage jobs to El Paso.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Beto's favorite book is the Odyssey.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Beto's favorite band is the Clash.

What is the first action you would take as president of the United States?

Beto will immediately take action to address climate change; reverse Trump's cruel policies towards immigrants and protect DREAMers; support workers, entrepreneurs, farmers, and grow the economy; protect a women's right to choose; protect the rights of all people to love -- free from discrimination; make hate crimes a law enforcement priority, while acting swiftly to curb the epidemic of gun violence and to tackle racial disparities in law enforcement. Beto will cancel the blank check on endless war and reassert our country's role on the global stage, no longer alienating our partners, or squandering the standing we earned over decades.

Why should people vote for you instead of one of your opponents?

Beto will fix our democracy and return power to people while bringing this deeply divided and highly polarized country together. Only then we will be able to accomplish our common goals--universal health care, an economy that works for everyone where one job is enough because it pays a living wage, immigration laws that match our values, an end to a gun violence epidemic that takes the lives of 40,000 Americans a year, a high-quality public education system and affordable higher education, a criminal justice system that is finally just, and a more equitable country where everyone can live with dignity and respect.

What should a 28th Amendment to the Constitution say?

Beto believes that the 28th Amendment to the Constitution should be the Equal Rights Amendment. He believes the 29th Amendment should overturn Citizens' United. The 30th Amendment should place term limits on Justices of the Supreme Court.

What do you support that the majority of your party opposes?

Polling has shown that there's strong support for a mandatory buyback of assault weapons across this country. Americans agree that these weapons of war have no place on our streets. But still the vast majority of Beto's Democratic primary opponents, as well as members of Congress and state and local leaders are failing to comment on the issue or have opposed. This position will not harm the discussion on gun control, but rather advance it. As a party, Beto recognizes that we cannot afford to take anything off the table. He understands the urgency behind ending a gun violence epidemic that has taken the lives of nearly 40,000 Americans a year. That's why Beto released the most ambitious plan in the race to reduce gun violence. His plan would implement universal background checks, close every loophole, pass Extreme Risk Protection Orders, also known as red flag laws so people who may be at risk to harm themselves or others don't have access to firearms, increase trauma support, and keep weapons of war off our streets by not only banning the sale of assault weapons but implementing a mandatory buyback of every single one of them. If we don't get these weapons of war out of our communities, then they'll continue showing up in our schools, our places of worship, our movie theaters, our concerts, and our malls.

What previous president do you admire most?

Beto's political hero is Abraham Lincoln; he faced the toughest test this country has ever seen and brought the country through it.

What is the most important policy issue none of your competitors are talking about?

The Democrat field all recognizes the urgency in enacting comprehensive gun control reform, and Beto appreciates the conversation that all of the candidates are having around this issue. But Beto has proposed going farther than any of the other candidates. Along with his plan to implement universal background checks, close every loophole, pass Extreme Risk Protection Orders, increase trauma support, and keep weapons of war off our streets by not only banning the sale of assault weapons but implementing a mandatory buyback of every single one of them, he has directly called on credit card companies to take steps to help prevent mass shootings. This includes calling on them to refuse to provide their services for the sale of assault weapons; refuse to provide their services for the sale of firearms online or at gun shows, where background checks are not required; and to stop doing business with gun or ammunition manufacturers who produce or sell assault weapons. He is the first, and so far the only candidate to directly call out credit card companies for their role in mass shootings and gun sales.

What is a policy you have changed your position on over time? Why did it change?

On August 3, in his home city of El Paso, 22 people were killed and dozens more were grievously injured with an assault weapon. This weapon of war has no place in our society. Beto previously supported an assault weapons ban, while allowing responsible gun owners to keep their assault weapons, but following the tragedy in El Paso, he determined that this was no longer acceptable. It is not enough to ban the weapons, but we need to ensure that they will be off the street. As President, Beto will directly address the gun violence epidemic by working with Congress to implement a national licensing system and universal background checks, ban assault weapons, and institute a mandatory buyback program for assault weapons and a voluntary buyback program for handguns. Beto will also close loopholes and support Extreme Risk Protection Order laws. Beto will declare our gun violence epidemic a public health emergency and invest in CDC research into gun violence. He will also address the root causes of hate and white nationalism that are fueling many of the mass shootings and tragedies across the country.

What qualities would you look for in a running mate? What qualities would you look for to fill Cabinet positions?

Beto's Vice President and Cabinet will reflect the diversity and range of experiences of the United States of America. We need a team that not only uniquely understands the challenges this country faces but how to address them in a way that brings all Americans into the solutions.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2018

Campaign website

O'Rourke's campaign website stated the following:

“

Agriculture

Agriculture has always been and will continue to be a vital part of the Texas economic fabric. Today, ag has an annual economic impact of over $100 billion and employs over 600,000 Texans, many of whom are individual or family farmers. While agriculture is certainly a bright spot for the Texas economy, we must continue to support the families that provide the food and fiber on which we all depend.

Steps we should take to ensure Texas farmers can thrive:

Maintain and strengthen the farmer safety net. Congress should strengthen federal crop insurance programs for Texas farmers who are being squeezed by rising production costs. The safety net should account for all farmers, including cotton, corn, sorghum, pecans, peanuts, and others.
Provide robust rural infrastructure for Texas farmers, ranchers, and rural communities to provide more economic opportunity. Underinvestment in rural infrastructure puts Texas ag at a competitive disadvantage. Rural areas desperately need investments in broadband, upgrades to water and road systems, and modernized schools. Government should be a partner for these communities in spurring rural economic development.
Ensure farmers don’t have to face unnecessary labor shortfalls that undermine productivity. Immigration reform can help address these issues by more effectively linking migrant laborers with farmers and by protecting undocumented workers. We should treat these individuals with dignity and respect because they are a critical component of our agriculture communities.
Avoid unnecessary trade wars and ensure foreign markets are open to U.S. agriculture exports. Current proposals for tariffs create tremendous uncertainty for Texas farmers. Trade wars rattle commodity markets and force farmers to scramble using limited information. Texas agriculture – and especially family farmers – depend on stable markets. We should be working to enhance stability and transparency.
Protect the environment so farm families can continue to produce for generations to come. Environmentally sustainable farming can help preserve Texas lands for the future. However, serving as stewards of the environment should make clear economic sense. Federal policy can elevate best practices and empower farmers to adopt innovative farming techniques.

Disability Rights

When the United States adopted the Americans with Disabilities Act, we became the first country in the world to pass comprehensive civil rights legislation for individuals with disabilities. Today, we must protect and build on that legacy to ensure the 3 million Texans with disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate in our communities, enjoy a high-quality life and live with dignity.

Here’s how we can work together to achieve that:

Fight attempts to weaken the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), including efforts to limit equal access to public places and businesses, and defend Social Security, Medicaid, and long-term supports and services from cuts and caps.
Protect the Affordable Care Act and its provisions that ensure individuals with disabilities can access high-quality healthcare, including guaranteed coverage for pre-existing conditions, the prohibition on cost discrimination, and the elimination of annual and lifetime limits.
Expand access to services in the home and community as an alternative to institutionalization through legislation like the Disability Integration Act.
Fully fund our commitments under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act so that students with disabilities can receive the services and instruction they need to live and contribute to their full potential.
Tackle the high unemployment rate for people with disabilities by supporting quality education and improving access to meaningful work opportunities.

Economy

All workers should benefit from the economic growth they help create. Everyone has a stake in prosperity. We have to promote fair and transparent markets that allow every Texan to compete and thrive.

Promote policies that encourage companies to focus on returning investments back to their consumer, their employees, and to the community.
Lower the barrier to entry for small businesses so that every entrepreneur or emerging growth company can have an opportunity to be successful.
Promote regulations that protect consumers, promote competition and grow the economy.
Support stronger antitrust regulations that break up monopolies and trusts that stifle competition and innovation.

Education

Every Texan deserves access to a quality education that will allow them to reach their full potential. It is the surest path to individual success and for the collective success of our state and country.

No public tax dollars should be given to private schools.
Increase public funding for low income and underserved communities.
Public school teachers should have their retirements protected by ensuring that we do away with the Windfall Elimination Provision.
We should continue to take steps towards moving control to the classroom and empowering teachers to fulfill their calling by having autonomy to teach their students and reduce the emphasis on arbitrary, high-stakes tests.
Strike down toxic legislation like Senate Bill 6 and any regulation that discriminates against a student based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Energy and the Environment

It is crucial now more than ever that the U.S. and world leaders act urgently to address the issue of climate change. We must ensure the funding and independence of organizations like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) so that they can provide necessary climate science research.

Other steps we can take to promote energy and environmental reforms include:

Enacting comprehensive energy reform that optimizes the uses of current energy sources while incentivizing the innovation of new and renewable sources of energy.
Rejoining the Paris Climate Accords.
Empowering the EPA to exercise oversight of those harming the environment, particularly drilling, fracking, and pipeline construction.

Supporting stronger land-use policies in Texas.

Equality

All Americans must be treated equally under the law. Steps we can take to achieve this goal include:

Supporting measures like the Equality Act, proposed legislation that would provide the same nondiscrimination protections to LGBTQIA Americans as any other protected class under federal law.
Guaranteeing that same-sex couples are entitled to access the same federal benefits as any other Texas family. Repealing the Defense of Marriage (DOMA) Act entirely and ensuring same sex couples equal access to benefits like social security, regardless of the state in which they live.
Ensuring that all Americans are paid equally and treated fairly, regardless of their gender. It is critical that we support policies that end wage discrimination and close the gender pay gap.

Government Accountability

We can’t achieve this until our government is reflective of and responsive to the people it purports to serve and represent. Texans deserve a government that performs for them and is a good steward of taxpayer dollars. Here’s how we get that done:

We must end perpetual reelection and bring new voices to Congress by imposing term limits on every member of the House and Senate. This is why I have committed to serving only two terms if I am elected to the U.S. Senate.
Texans send their hard-earned money to Washington with the expectation that it is working to improve their lives, not cater to special interest groups. Let’s get big money out of Washington and ensure legislation isn’t written by the highest bidder. This begins with preventing politicians from accepting money from Political Action Committees (PACs) and returning power to electorate. That’s why I introduced the No PAC Act (H.R.1743), which would prevent any elected official from accepting PAC contributions.
End gerrymandering where members of Congress choose their voters instead of the other way around. We should have a non-partisan, non-politician redistricting commission that ends the practice of racial gerrymandering that has drawn people out of their democracy based on their race and ethnicity.
Ensuring the government works more efficiently and costs less by eliminating redundant or outdated federal regulations and improving transparency and oversight of federal agencies.

Gun Safety

Texas has a proud and honorable tradition of responsible gun ownership for hunting, sport, self-defense, and collecting. Like so many Texans, Beto learned to safely handle and shoot a gun at a young age — taught by his Uncle Raymond who was a sheriff’s deputy and a jail captain. That shared heritage — that uniquely Texas experience — means that our state should lead the way in preserving the Second Amendment while working together to ensure people can live without fear of gun violence in their communities.

We should:

Require background checks for all gun sales to ensure that firearms only get into the hands of responsible, law-abiding individuals. This means finally closing the gun show, online, and boyfriend loopholes.
Stop selling weapons of war and high-capacity magazines to ensure that firearms designed to kill as effectively and efficiently as possible on the battlefield aren’t used in our schools, our streets, our churches, and our concerts.
Block the erosion of Texas’ license to carry standards by opposing Concealed Carry Reciprocity, which would force Texas to allow anyone from states with weak to nonexistent conceal carry laws to disregard our own public safety requirements.
Fully support federal research on gun violence so that we can better understand and address its root causes.

Healthcare

Healthcare is a moral question that transcends politics – it is a basic human right, not a privilege. 4.3 million Texans – including over 600,000 children – can’t see a doctor, or when they do, they’re so sick they have no choice but to go to the Emergency Room where the cost will be many times more expensive and the outcome will be worse.

When a mother forgoes a routine mammogram because she is uninsured, or a father ignores chronic pain because he didn’t qualify for a subsidy to buy insurance, everyone’s healthcare costs are likely to be greater in the long-term. We want our parents and our children to be healthy and live to their full potential. This is much more likely when they have access to the healthcare they need.

Steps that we should take together to transform healthcare include:

Improving the Affordable Care Act (ACA) by stabilizing our insurance markets. Guaranteeing continued payments for ACA subsidies that reduce enrollees’ cost-sharing and reimbursing insurers for high-cost individuals.
Incentivizing insurers to participate in the exchanges, especially in underserved counties.
Expanding Medicaid to cover more Texans and protecting the Medicaid guarantee for vulnerable children, the disabled, and the elderly.
Lowering premiums and prescription drug costs by using the government’s purchasing power to make healthcare more affordable for everyone.
Creating a public option on the exchanges so that Americans are guaranteed affordable coverage.
Achieving universal healthcare coverage— whether it be through a single payer system, a dual system, or otherwise – so that we can ensure everyone is able to see a provider when it will do the most good and will deliver healthcare in the most affordable, effective way possible.

Higher Education

Increase funding for Pell Grant scholarships and the Federal Perkins Loan program to ensure education is affordable for all Texans.
Broaden educational opportunities for Texans beyond a traditional 4 year college by improving access to community colleges, trade schools, and nanodegrees.
Allow Texans who commit to working in in-demand fields and in underserved communities the chance to graduate debt free.
Control the pace of inflation within institutions of higher learning by using the federal government’s leverage through its grants, loans and research spending to demand affordability from universities.

Immigration

Much of our strength, success, and security as a state and as a country depends on the immigrants who contribute to our society as together we build the American Dream. Any honest immigration reform must reflect the value of immigrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers by providing a path to work, family reunification and citizenship.

At a time when the border with Mexico has never been safer, and when we’ve never spent so much on border security, the surest way to improve safety and security is not to build a wall or spend billions more, but to ensure that we are maximizing the potential from everyone in this state, treating each other with respect and dignity.

Here’s how we do that:

End the militarization of our immigration enforcement system, and close private immigration prisons and detention centers that profit from locking up families.
Pass the DREAM Act and ensure that undocumented immigrants who were brought here as children, known as ‘Dreamers’, find a permanent home and citizenship in the U.S.
Ensure that those who come to our borders seeking refuge from violence and persecution are given a fair opportunity to present their claims and guaranteed due process under our laws.
Improve the immigration system to encourage and facilitate family reunification, education, and the investment of talent in our country.
Modernize the visa system to allow U.S. employers to find workers for jobs that American workers can’t fill.
Reform our immigration laws to legalize the status of millions of immigrants already in our country and ensure a fair path to citizenship for those inspired by the opportunity and ideals that we present to the rest of the world.

Jobs

We owe it to unemployed and underemployed Texans to connect them with high value jobs by bringing those jobs to Texas. We must ensure that every Texan benefits from the country’s economic growth and that every person who is willing to work has a chance to.

Invest in training, certification, and registered apprenticeship programs to allow Texans – especially those without college degrees – to keep pace with increasingly specialized professions.
Increase federal spending on infrastructure in order to create new construction and manufacturing jobs for out of work Texans and promote economic growth.
Promote rural broadband infrastructure policies that expand access to broadband to all communities.
Protect the Earned Income Tax Credit that benefits millions of hardworking American families and promote the Family and Medical Leave Act to ensure those families can stay healthy and strong.

Justice

We imprison more of our own people than does any other country on the planet. Our system of imprisonment is biased against African Americans and Latinos and criminalizes the poor. This must end. We can be more effective at rehabilitation and improve safety in our communities at a much lower cost while improving the opportunities for young people to achieve to their full potential.

To do so we must do the following:

End the U.S. government’s war on drugs and encourage comprehensive reforms in drug control policies that have had a devastating effect on communities of color.
End the federal prohibition on marijuana.
End the practice of private and for-profit prisons that cost more, have the perverse incentive to send more people to jail, and have demonstrably higher levels of violence. According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, prisons owned by for-profit companies held nearly three-quarters of federal immigration detainees in 2016.
Find ways for nonviolent offenders to be held accountable for their crimes outside of the prison system and support programs that help rehabilitate them.
Improve access to mental health services within our prison systems to help diagnose and address offenders with existing mental health issues and drive down rates of recidivism.
End the current system of bail bonds that punishes people for being poor. The current system allows bail for those who can afford it, instead of ensuring that a person’s release won’t result in harm to someone else. Reforming the bail system will refocus public dollars on community safety and ensure that we no longer waste resources on incarcerating those who are not a public safety risk.

National Security

Congress has avoided its responsibility to provide oversight for the wars the U.S. is fighting around the world. We’re at war in six countries right now and fighting enemies that didn’t exist when Congress authorized the global war on terrorism following 9/11. We need to support our service members by ensuring this country has defined victory; has adopted a comprehensive strategy to achieve it; and is willing to commit the resources and leadership to see it through.

Provide the necessary financial resources and support to Texas military bases and facilities to ensure that they can accomplish their missions.
If we are to continue to put our service members in harm’s way, Congress owes the American people a debate and vote to give guidance to our military on who we should be fighting and where.
Acknowledge that we cannot kill our way to achieving our goals, nor should we put the entire weight of U.S. foreign policy on the backs of our service members.
Congress must work with our military leaders to clearly define victory so that our service members and our citizens know what we are fighting for.
We must pay for the total cost of war as we wage it, by ensuring that those who have borne the battle will have the support (education, healthcare, housing and otherwise) they have earned once they are veterans.

Seniors

Texas seniors have built the families, communities, and businesses we now enjoy. We owe it to them to honor and protect the commitment we made to care for them through Social Security and Medicare.

It is vital that we safeguard the benefits Texans have worked their entire lives to earn by protecting Social Security.
Improve access to healthcare for Seniors by exercising appropriate oversight over the Medicare program and decreasing waste by combatting fraud.
Ensuring prescription drug prices are affordable and eliminating the Two-Midnight rule and opposing the Government Pension Offset.

Veterans

Our veterans should receive the care and dignity they have earned. That begins with ensuring that every veteran can receive access to quality healthcare, timely resolutions to their disability claims and appeals, and sustainable housing.

20 veterans a day take their own lives. Our top priority should be getting these veterans the help they need. Including those with other-than-honorable discharges.
Improve access to quality care both within and outside of the VA. Let’s empower the VA to deliver on the things it should do best – such as providing specialized mental healthcare and primary care and treating conditions unique to service and combat – and encourage it to recruit help from the community when necessary.
Improving claims and appeals response times so that Veterans can receive access to treatment and compensation for their injuries in a timely way.
Ensuring no veteran goes homeless.

Women's Health

Whether it be cervical cancer screenings, family planning help or potentially lifesaving prenatal care, we have made it indefensibly difficult for women to access reproductive healthcare. This is especially troubling given that Texas has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality in the developed world and it directly affects our communities of color.

We must take necessary steps toward improving women’s access to affordable and quality healthcare, which include:

Ensuring that a woman’s right to choose is not compromised by limited access to safe and legal abortion services or family planning help.
Expanding Medicaid and funding family planning centers in order to prevent another mother dying needlessly due to complications before or after childbirth.
Supporting policies that guarantee a woman’s access to birth control and emergency contraception.
Protecting the Title X Family Planning Program that ensure millions of low-income Americans can afford access to reproductive health services, such as cervical and breast cancer screenings and well-woman exams.^[11]

”

—Beto for Texas^[13]

Campaign advertisements

The following is an example of an ad from O'Rourke's 2018 election campaign.

"Showing Up" - Beto for Texas campaign ad, released July 26, 2018

2016

Campaign website

The following issues were listed on O'Rourke's campaign website.

“

Opportunity At The Border: There is greater economic opportunity in this region than in almost any other part of Americas right now.

Veterans Take The Lead: Our veterans have honorably served our nation. It's time our nation returns the commitment and ensures that they are treated fairly, with dignity and respect.

Support For Fort Bliss: From the time of General John Pershing to the stewardship provided today by Major General Stephen Twitty, El Paso has been fortunate to have a strong relationship with Ft. Bliss.

Learn From The Border On Immigration Reform: Our immigration laws are flawed, broken and drastically out of sync with our values and the current and future needs of our economy.

Accessible. Accountable.: When I ran for office, I committed to you that I would be accessible and accountable.

Reforming Congress: Whether it is saving Social Security, balancing the federal budget, reducing the national debt or reforming tax policy so that everyone pays their fair share, we need our federal representatives to make tough, principled decisions for our country's future.

^[11]

”

—Beto O'Rourke's campaign website, https://www.betoforcongress.com/priorities

2012

Campaign website

O'Rourke's campaign website listed the following issues:^[14]

End Corruption

Excerpt: "The corruption that plagues our community has to stop, but we need reform and new leadership, especially in D.C. where members of Congress use our tax dollars to get re-elected. I will sponsor a bill to set term limits for representatives, so that they focus on getting the job done instead of the special interests that keep them in office."

True Democrat

Excerpt: "Instead of focusing on issues that are important to El Pasoans like the economy, jobs and ensuring that our community is well-represented in D.C., the incumbent has chosen to ask if I am a Democrat. Although I put community and country before party and partisan politics, I think my track record shows that I represent the best aspects of the Democratic Party."

Congressional Reform

Excerpt: "Each year the same people in Congress make the same self-serving decisions that leave us unprepared to revive a depressed economy, reverse a growing debt burden and renew America's leadership in the 21st century. The country is fed up. Congress' approval rating is now at 9%. So why does Congress have a re-election rate that rivals that of a Middle East dictator (93% over the last 5 years), despite having the lowest approval rating in history?"

Healthcare Reform

Excerpt: "While these are important issues to address, the act fails to address problems that are specific to El Paso and the border. As your congressman I will work to make sure that future legislation that carries out the provisions of the PPACA will help, and not hurt, El Paso."

Reyes Works?

Excerpt: "You may have seen the billboards reading "Reyes Works," here are the facts: Reyes has one of the worst voting and attendance records in Congress."

Jobs and the Economy

Excerpt: "There is greater economic opportunity in this region than in almost any other part of Americas right now. Whether it's our enviable position as the world's largest bi-national metroplex, having the country's largest military installation at Ft. Bliss or the country's newest four-year medical school as the anchor for the Medical Center of the Americas, there is abundant opportunity here."

Veterans Affairs

Excerpt: "Our veterans have honorably served our nation. It's time that our nation return the commitment and ensure that they are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. Unfortunately, as far too many veterans in El Paso have shared with me, they do not have the support they are owed."

Education

Excerpt: "Investment in education is key to the economic vitality of the nation and the region. As we move away from becoming a manufacturing nation, most jobs will come from a highly skilled labor force. Currently, the U.S. must hire 227,000 scientists and engineers from abroad to keep up with the demand in the U.S. economy."

Fort Bliss

Excerpt: "From the time of General John Pershing to the stewardship provided today by Major General Pittard, El Paso has been fortunate to have a strong relationship with Ft. Bliss. I will work to ensure that relationship produces more jobs and economic activity for local businesses in the future."

Term Limits

Excerpt: "Unfortunately, most house members are career politicians who are more concerned with the next election cycle than in making these tough decisions. They put personal considerations, party loyalty and payback to lobbyists and big donors before principle. "

Committee assignments

U.S. House

2017-2018

At the beginning of the 115th Congress, O'Rourke was assigned to the following committees:^[15]

2015-2016

O'Rourke served on the following committees:^[16]

2013-2014

O'Rourke served on the following committees:^[17]

Committee on Homeland Security
- Subcommittee on Border, Maritime Security
- Subcommittee on Oversight and Management Efficiency
Committee on Veterans' Affairs
- Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs
- Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations

Key votes

See also: Key votes

Ballotpedia monitors legislation that receives a vote and highlights the ones that we consider to be key to understanding where elected officials stand on the issues. To read more about how we identify key votes, click here.

Key votes: 115th Congress, 2017-2018

For detailed information about each vote, click here.

Votes on domestic policy (click to expand)

Voted Yea on: Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (Conference report) (HR 2)

Bill Passed (369-47) on December 12, 2018

Proposed providing funding for commodity support, conservation, trade and international food aid, nutrition assistance, farm credit, rural development, research and extension activities, forestry, horticulture, and crop insurance through fiscal year 2023.^[18]

Voted Nay on: Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (HR 2 (second vote))

Bill Passed (213-211) on June 21, 2018

Proposed providing funding for commodity support, conservation, trade and international food aid, nutrition assistance, farm credit, rural development, research and extension activities, forestry, horticulture, and crop insurance. It also proposed modifying the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, previously known as the food stamp program.^[19]

Voted Nay on: Securing America’s Future Act of 2018 (HR 4760)

Bill Failed (193-231) on June 21, 2018

Proposed funding a border wall, limiting legal immigration, a mandatory worker verification program, allowing DACA recipients to apply for legal status, and preventing separation of families at the border.^[20]

Voted Yea on: Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (HR 2)

Bill Passed (369-47) on December 12, 2018

Reauthorizes through FY2023 and modifies some Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs.^[21]

Voted Nay on: Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (HR 36)

Bill Passed (237-189) on October 3, 2017

Proposed amending the federal criminal code to make it a crime for any person to perform or attempt to perform an abortion if the probable post-fertilization age of the fetus was 20 weeks or more. The bill provided exceptions for an abortion: (1) that was necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman, or (2) when the pregnancy was the result of rape or incest.^[22]

Voted Nay on: Kate's Law (HR 3004)

Bill Passed (257-167) on June 29, 2017

Proposed increasing criminal penalties for individuals in the country illegally who were convicted of certain crimes, deported, and then re-entered the U.S. illegally.^[23]

Voted Nay on: No Sanctuary for Criminals Act (HR 3003)

Bill Passed (228-195) on June 29, 2017

Proposed withholding federal funds from states and localities that chose not to follow federal immigration laws.^[24]

Voted Nay on: American Health Care Act of 2017 (HR 1628)

Bill passed (217-213) on May 4, 2017

Proposed modifying the budgetary and fiscal provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare.^[25]

Votes on economic affairs and regulations (click to expand)

Voted Yea on: Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019 (Conference report) (HR 6157)

Bill Passed (361-61) on September 26, 2018

Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Education.^[26]

Voted Yea on: Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2019 (Conference report) (HR 5895)

Bill Passed (377-20) on September 13, 2018

Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Department of Energy, water resources, the legislative branch, military construction, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, among other programs.^[27]

Voted Yea on: Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019 (HR 6157)

Bill Passed (359-49) on June 28, 2018

Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Education.^[28]

Voted Yea on: Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019 (HR 5895)

Bill Passed (235-179) on June 8, 2018

Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Department of Energy, water resources, the legislative branch, military construction, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, among other programs.^[29]

Voted Nay on: Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (S 2155)

Bill Passed (258-159) on May 22, 2018

Proposed exempting some banks from the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act^[30]

Voted Yea on: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1625)

Bill Passed (256-167) on March 22, 2018

Proposed providing appropriations for fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes.^[31]

Voted Yea on: The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (HR 1892)

Bill Passed (240-186) on February 9, 2018

Proposed providing appropriations through March 23, 2018.^[32]

Voted Nay on: Further Extension Of Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1892)

Bill Passed (245-182) on February 6, 2018

Proposed providing appropriations through March 23, 2018.^[33]

Voted Nay on: Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018, and for other purposes. (HR 195)

Bill Passed (266-150) on January 22, 2018

Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through February 8, 2018.^[34]

Voted Nay on: Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018, and for other purposes. (HR 195)

Bill Passed (230-197) on January 18, 2018

Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through February 16, 2018.^[35]

Voted Nay on: Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1370)

Bill Passed (231-188) on December 21, 2017

Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through January 19, 2018.^[36]

Voted Nay on: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (HR 1)

Bill Passed (227-203) on December 19, 2017

Proposed providing for reconciliation pursuant to titles II and V of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018.^[37]

Voted Nay on: Making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes (HJ Res 123)

Bill Passed (235-193) on December 7, 2017

Proposed funding the government until December 22, 2017.^[38]

Voted Nay on: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (HR 1)

Bill Passed (227-205) on November 16, 2017

Proposed amending the Internal Revenue Code to reduce tax rates and modify policies, credits, and deductions for individuals and businesses.^[39]

Voted Nay on: Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2018 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2019 through 2027. (H Con Res 71)

Bill Passed (216-212) on October 26, 2017

Proposed establishing the congressional budget for the federal government for FY2018 and setting forth budgetary levels for FY2019-FY2027. (This bill proposed adopting the Senate's budget resolution.)^[40]

Voted Nay on: Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2018 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2019 through 2027. (H Con Res 71)

Bill Passed (219-206) on October 5, 2017

Proposed establishing the congressional budget for the federal government for FY2018 and setting forth budgetary levels for FY2019-FY2027.^[41]

Voted Nay on: Make America Secure and Prosperous Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 3354)

Bill Passed (211-198) on September 14, 2017

Proposed providing FY2018 appropriations for the federal government. It combined 12 appropriations bills.^[42]

Voted Yea on: Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2017 (Included amendments to suspend the debt ceiling and fund the government) (HR 601)

Bill Passed (316-90) on September 8, 2017

Proposed suspending the debt ceiling and funding the government until December 8, 2017, and providing funding for Hurricanes Harvey and Irma relief efforts.^[43]

Voted Yea on: Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2017 (HR 601)

Bill Passed (419-3) on September 6, 2017

Proposed providing $7.85 billion for disaster relief requirements, including response and recovery efforts from Hurricane Harvey.^[44]

Voted Nay on: Financial CHOICE Act of 2017 (HR 10)

Bill passed (233-186) on June 8, 2017

Proposed amending the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, among other acts.^[45]

Voted Yea on: Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017 (HR 244)

Bill passed (309-118) on May 3, 2017

Proposed a $1.2 trillion budget to fund the government through the end of the fiscal year on September 30, 2017.^[46]

Votes on foreign policy and national security issues (click to expand)

Voted Yea on: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (HR 5515)

Bill Passed (351-66) on May 24, 2018

Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities^[47]

Voted Yea on: Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 695)

Bill Passed (250-166) on January 30, 2018

Proposed providing appropriations for military functions administered by the Department of Defense and for other purposes, for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018.^[48]

Voted Yea on: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018—Conference report (HR 2810)

Bill Passed (356-70) on November 14, 2017

Proposed authorizing FY2018 appropriations and setting forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths.^[49]

Voted Nay on: Make America Secure Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 3219)

Bill Passed (235-192) on July 27, 2017

Proposed making appropriations for defense, military construction, Veterans Affairs, the Legislative Branch, energy and water development, and for other purposes for the fiscal year ending on September 30, 2018.^[50]

Voted Yea on: Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (HR 3364)

Bill Passed (419-3) on July 25, 2017

Proposed providing congressional review and measures to counter aggression by the governments of Iran, the Russian Federation, and North Korea, and for other purposes.^[51]

Voted Nay on: Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (HR 3180, second vote)

Bill Passed (380-35) on July 28, 2017

Proposed authorizing appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government, the Community Management Account, and the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, and for other purposes.^[52]

Voted Nay on: Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (HR 3180)

Bill Failed (241-163) on July 24, 2017

Proposed authorizing appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government, the Community Management Account, and the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, and for other purposes.^[53]

Voted Yea on: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (HR 2810)

Bill Passed (344-81) on July 14, 2017

Proposed authorizing fiscal year 2018 appropriations and setting forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It did not provide budget authority.^[54]

Voted Yea on: Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2017 (HR 1301)

Bill passed (371-48) on March 8, 2017

The $577.9 billion fiscal year 2017 defense spending bill proposed $516.1 billion in base budget funding and $61.8 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations/ Global War on Terrorism funding.^[55]

Key votes: Previous sessions of Congress

Key votes (click "show" to expand or "hide" to contract)

114th Congress

The first session of the 114th Congress enacted into law six out of the 2,616 introduced bills (0.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 1.3 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the first session. In the second session, the 114th Congress enacted 133 out of 3,159 introduced bills (4.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 7.0 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session.^[56]^[57] For more information pertaining to O'Rourke's voting record in the 114th Congress, please see the below sections.^[58]

Economic and fiscal

Trade Act of 2015

See also: The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, 2015

Trade adjustment assistance
On June 12, 2015, the House rejected the trade adjustment assistance (TAA) measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015—by a vote of 126-302. Trade adjustment assistance (TAA) is a federal program providing American workers displaced by foreign trade agreements with job training and services. The measure was packaged with trade promotion authority (TPA), also known as fast-track authority. TPA is a legislative procedure that allows Congress to define "U.S. negotiating objectives and spells out a detailed oversight and consultation process for during trade negotiations. Under TPA, Congress retains the authority to review and decide whether any proposed U.S. trade agreement will be implemented," according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative. O'Rourke was one of 40 Democrats to vote in favor of TAA.^[59]^[60]
Trade promotion authority
On June 12, 2015, the House passed the trade promotion authority (TPA) measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015 —by a vote of 219-211. TPA gives the president fast-track authority to negotiate trade agreements sent to Congress without the opportunity for amendment or filibuster. Although the House approved TPA, it was a largely symbolic vote given the measure was part of a package trade bill including trade adjustment assistance (TAA), which was rejected earlier the same day. O'Rourke was one of 28 Democrats to support the measure.^[61]^[62]
Trade promotion authority second vote
After the trade adjustment assistance (TAA) and trade promotion authority (TPA) did not pass the House together on June 12, 2015, representatives voted to authorize TPA alone as an amendment to HR 2146—the Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act—on June 18, 2015. The amendment passed by a vote of 218-208, with all voting members of the House maintaining his or her original position on TPA except for Ted Yoho (R-Fla.). O'Rourke was one of 28 Democrats to vote in favor of the amendment.^[63]^[64]
Trade adjustment assistance second vote
The House passed HR 1295—the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015—on June 25, 2015, by a vote of 286-138. The Senate packaged trade adjustment assistance (TAA) in this bill after the House rejected the TAA measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015. Along with trade promotion authority (TPA), which Congress passed as part of HR 2146—the Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act—TAA became law on June 29, 2015. O'Rourke was one of 175 Democrats to vote in favor of HR 1295.^[65]^[66]

Defense spending authorization

On May 15, 2015, the House passed HR 1735—the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016—by a vote of 269-151. The bill "authorizes FY2016 appropriations and sets forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It does not provide budget authority, which is provided in subsequent appropriations legislation." O'Rourke voted with 40 Democrats and 228 Republicans to approve the bill.^[67] The Senate passed the bill on June 18, 2015, by a vote of 71-25. President Barack Obama vetoed the bill on October 22, 2015.^[68]

On November 5, 2015, the House passed S 1356—the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016—by a vote of 370-58. The second version of the $607 billion national defense bill included $5 billion in cuts to match what was approved in the budget and language preventing the closure of the Guantanamo Bay military prison.^[69]^[70] O'Rourke voted with 134 other Democrats and 235 Republicans to approve the bill.^[71] On November 10, 2015, the Senate passed the bill by a vote of 91-3, and President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 25, 2015.^[72]

2016 Budget proposal

On April 30, 2015, the House voted to approve SConRes11, a congressional budget proposal for fiscal year 2016, by a vote of 226-197. The non-binding resolution was designed to create 12 appropriations bills to fund the government. All 183 Democrats who voted, including O'Rourke, voted against the resolution.^[73]^[74]^[75]

2015 budget

On October 28, 2015, the House passed HR 1314—the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015—by a vote of 266-167. The bill increased military and domestic spending levels and suspended the debt ceiling until March 2017.^[76] O'Rourke voted with 186 Democrats and 79 Republicans in favor of the bill.^[77] It passed the Senate on October 30, 2015.^[78] President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 2, 2015.

Foreign Affairs

Iran nuclear deal

See also: Iran nuclear agreement, 2015

On May 14, 2015, the House approved HR 1191—the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015—by a vote of 400-25. The bill required President Barack Obama to submit the details of the nuclear deal with Iran for congressional review. Congress had 60 days to review the deal and vote to approve, disapprove, or take no action on the deal. During the review period, sanctions on Iran could not be lifted. O’Rourke voted with 176 Democrats to approve the bill.^[79]^[80]

Approval of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
On September 11, 2015, the House rejected HR 3461—To approve the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, signed at Vienna on July 14, 2015, relating to the nuclear program of Iran—by a vote of 162-269. The legislation proposed approving the nuclear agreement with Iran. O'Rourke voted with 161 Democrats for the bill.^[81]^[82]

Suspension of Iran sanctions relief
On September 11, 2015, the House approved HR 3460—To suspend until January 21, 2017, the authority of the President to waive, suspend, reduce, provide relief from, or otherwise limit the application of sanctions pursuant to an agreement related to the nuclear program of Iran—by a vote of 247-186. HR 3460 prohibited "the President, prior to January 21, 2017, from: limiting the application of specified sanctions on Iran or refraining from applying any such sanctions; or removing a foreign person (including entities) listed in Attachments 3 or 4 to Annex II of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA) from the list of designated nationals and blocked persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Asset Control of the Department of the Treasury." O'Rourke voted with 185 Democrats against the bill.^[83]^[84]

Presidential non-compliance of section 2
On September 10, 2015, the House passed H Res 411—Finding that the President has not complied with section 2 of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015—by a vote of 245-186. Section 2 of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 required the president to submit all materials related to the nuclear agreement for congressional review. House Republicans introduced the resolution because two agreements between the International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran were not submitted to Congress. O'Rourke voted with 185 Democrats against the resolution.^[85]^[86]

Export-Import Bank

On October 27, 2015, the House passed HR 597—the Export-Import Bank Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2015—by a vote of 313-118. The bill proposed reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank and allowing it to resume offering assistance in the form of loans and insurance to foreign companies that wanted to buy U.S. goods.^[87] O'Rourke voted with 185 Democrats and 127 Republicans in favor of the bill.^[88]

Domestic

USA FREEDOM Act of 2015

On May 13, 2015, the House passed HR 2048—the Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring Act of 2015 or the USA FREEDOM Act of 2015—by a vote of 338-88. The legislation revised HR 3199—the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005—by ending the bulk collection of metadata under Sec. 215 of the act, requiring increased reporting from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, and requiring the use of "a specific selection term as the basis for national security letters that request information from wire or electronic communication service providers, financial institutions, or consumer reporting agencies." O'Rourke voted with 141 Democrats and 196 Republicans to approve the legislation. It became law on June 2, 2015.^[89]^[90]

Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act

On May 13, 2015, the House passed HR 36—the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act—by a vote of 242-184. The bill proposed prohibiting abortions from being performed after a fetus was determined to be 20 weeks or older. The bill proposed exceptions in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother. O'Rourke voted with 179 Democrats against the bill.^[91]^[92]

Cyber security

On April 23, 2015, the House passed HR 1731—the National Cybersecurity Protection Advancement Act of 2015—by a vote of 355-63. The bill proposed creating an information sharing program that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. It also proposed including liability protections for companies.^[93] O'Rourke voted with 134 Democrats and 220 Republicans to approve the bill.^[94]

On April 22, 2015, the House passed HR 1560—the Protecting Cyber Networks Act—by a vote of 307-116.^[95] The bill proposed procedures that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. O'Rourke voted with 78 Democrats and 37 Republicans against the bill.^[96]

Immigration

On November 19, 2015, the House passed HR 4038—the American SAFE Act of 2015—by a vote of 289-137.^[97] The bill proposed instituting additional screening processes for refugees from Iraq and Syria who applied for admission to the U.S. O'Rourke voted with 134 Democrats and two Republicans against the bill.^[98]

113th Congress

The second session of the 113th Congress enacted into law 224 out of the 3215 introduced bills (7 percent). Comparatively, the 112th Congress had 4.2 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session.^[99] For more information pertaining to O'Rourke's voting record in the 113th Congress, please see the below sections.^[100]

National security

HR 644

See also: Bowe Bergdahl exchange

On September 9, 2014, the Republican-run House approved H.R. 644, a resolution condemning President Barack Obama's act of exchanging five Guantanamo Bay prisoners for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl.^[101]^[102] The House voted 249-163 for resolution, with all Republicans and 22 Democrats supporting the bill. Fourteen Democrats and five Republicans did not vote on the resolution, while all other Democrats opposed its passage.^[102] O'Rourke dissented from the majority of the Democratic party and voted in favor of the bill.^[101]^[102]

NDAA

O'Rourke voted for HR 1960 - the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014. The bill passed the House on June 14, 2013, with a vote of 315 - 108. Both parties were somewhat divided on the vote.^[103]

DHS Appropriations

O'Rourke voted against HR 2217 - the DHS Appropriations Act of 2014. The bill passed the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 245 - 182 that was largely along party lines.^[104]

CISPA (2013)

O'Rourke voted against HR 624 - the CISPA (2013). The bill passed the House on April 18, 2013, with a vote of 288 - 127. The bill permitted federal intelligence agencies to share cybersecurity intelligence and information with private entities and utilities. The bill was largely supported by Republicans, but divided the Democratic Party.^[105]

Economy

Farm bill

On January 29, 2014, the U.S. House approved the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013, H.R. 2642, known as the Farm Bill.^[106] The bill passed by a vote of 251-166. The nearly 1,000-page bill provides for the reform and continuation of agricultural and other programs of the Department of Agriculture through 2018. The $1 trillion bill expanded crop insurance for farmers by $7 billion over the next decade and created new subsidies for rice and peanut growers that would kick in when prices drop.^[107]^[108] However, cuts to the food stamp program cut an average of $90 per month for 1.7 million people in 15 states.^[108] O'Rourke voted with 102 other Democratic representatives against the bill.

2014 Budget

On January 15, 2014, the Republican-run House approved H.R. 3547, a $1.1 trillion spending bill to fund the government through September 30, 2014.^[109]^[110] The House voted 359-67 for the 1,582 page bill, with 64 Republicans and three Democrats voting against the bill.^[110] The omnibus package included 12 annual spending bills to fund federal operations.^[111] It included a 1 percent increase in the paychecks of federal workers and military personnel, a $1 billion increase in Head Start funding for early childhood education, reduced funding to the Internal Revenue Service and the Environmental Protection Agency, and the protection of the Affordable Care Act from any drastic cuts. O'Rourke joined with the majority of the Democratic party and voted in favor of the bill.^[109]^[110]

Government shutdown

See also: United States budget debate, 2013

On September 30, 2013, the House passed a final stopgap spending bill before the shutdown went into effect. The bill included a one-year delay of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate and would have also stripped the bill of federal subsidies for congressional members and staff. It passed through the House with a vote of 228-201.^[112] At 1 a.m. on October 1, 2013, one hour after the shutdown officially began, the House voted to move forward with going to a conference. In short order, Sen. Harry Reid rejected the call to conference.^[113] O'Rourke voted against the stopgap spending bill that would have delayed the individual mandate.^[114]

The shutdown ended on October 16, 2013, when the House took a vote on HR 2775 after it was approved by the Senate. The bill to reopen the government lifted the $16.7 trillion debt limit and funded the government through January 15, 2014. Federal employees also received retroactive pay for the shutdown period. The only concession made by Senate Democrats was to require income verification for Obamacare subsidies.^[115] The House passed the legislation shortly after the Senate, by a vote of 285-144, with all 144 votes against the legislation coming from Republican members. O'Rourke voted for HR 2775.^[116]

In a statement released October 1, 2013, O'Rourke said, “As long as the shut-down continues, I will not accept my pay. I will be donating my entire pay for the length of the government closure to veterans’ service organizations (VSOs) in El Paso." He added that "In order to continue to serve El Paso, my offices will remain open, but at a reduced capacity. I will continue to use my Facebook page to keep you posted.”^[117]

Federal Pay Adjustment Act

O'Rourke voted against HR 273 - Eliminates the 2013 Statutory Pay Adjustment for Federal Employees. The bill passed the House on February 15, 2013, with a vote of 261 - 154. The bill called for stopping a 0.5 percent pay increase for all federal workers from taking effect. The raises were projected to cost $11 billion over 10 years.^[118]

Immigration

Morton Memos Prohibition

O'Rourke voted against House Amendment 136 - Prohibits the Enforcement of the Immigration Executive Order. The amendment was adopted by the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 224 - 201. The purpose of the amendment as stated on the official text is to "prohibit the use of funds to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce the Morton Memos." These memos would have granted administrative amnesty to certain individuals residing in the United States without legal status.^[119] The vote largely followed party lines.^[120]

Healthcare

Healthcare Reform Rules

O'Rourke voted against House Amendment 450 - Requires Congressional Approval for Any Rules Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The amendment was adopted by the House on August 2, 2013, with a vote of 227-185. The amendment requires that all changes to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act be approved by Congress before taking effect. The vote was largely along party lines.^[121]

Social issues

Abortion

O'Rourke voted against HR 1797 - Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. The resolution passed the House on June 18, 2013, with a vote of 228 - 196 that largely followed party lines. The purpose of the bill was to ban abortions that would take place 20 or more weeks after fertilization.^[122]

Campaign finance summary

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

Beto O'Rourke campaign contribution history
Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2022	Governor of Texas	Lost general	$80,258,957	$81,291,309
2020	President of the United States	Withdrew convention	$0	N/A**
2018	U.S. Senate Texas	Lost general	$80,344,836	$80,458,720
2016	U.S. House, Texas District 16	Won	$384,723	N/A**
2014	U.S. House (Texas, District 16)	Won	$504,421	N/A**
2012	U.S. House Texas District 16	Won	$685,661	N/A**
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Personal Gain Index

See also: Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress)

The Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress) is a two-part measurement that illustrates the extent to which members of the U.S. Congress have prospered during their tenure as public servants.
It consists of two different metrics:

PGI: Change in net worth

See also: Changes in Net Worth of U.S. Senators and Representatives (Personal Gain Index) and Net worth of United States Senators and Representatives

Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org, O'Rourke's net worth as of 2012 was estimated between $-1,392,926 and $16,529,998. That averages to $7,568,536, which is higher than the average net worth of Democratic representatives in 2012 of $5,700,168.36. O'Rourke ranked as the 51st most wealthy representative in 2012.^[123] Between 2011 and 2012, O'Rourke's calculated net worth^[124] increased by an average of 11 percent per year. Between 2004 and 2012, the average annual percentage increase for a member of Congress was 15.4 percent.^[125]

Beto O'Rourke Yearly Net Worth
Year	Average Net Worth
2011	$6,791,541
2012	$7,568,536
Growth from 2011 to 2012:	11%
Average annual growth:	11%^[126]
Comparatively, the American citizen experienced a median yearly decline in net worth of -0.94%.^[127]

The data used to calculate changes in net worth may include changes resulting from assets gained through marriage, inheritance, changes in family estates and/or trusts, changes in family business ownership, and many other variables unrelated to a member's behavior in Congress.

PGI: Donation Concentration Metric

See also: The Donation Concentration Metric (U.S. Congress Personal Gain Index)

Filings required by the Federal Election Commission report on the industries that give to each candidate. Using campaign filings and information calculated by OpenSecrets.org, Ballotpedia calculated the percentage of donations by industry received by each incumbent over the course of his or her career (or 1989 and later, if elected prior to 1988). O'Rourke received the most donations from individuals and PACs employed by the Real Estate industry.

From 2011-2014, 22.55 percent of O'Rourke's career contributions came from the top five industries as listed below.^[128]

Beto O'Rourke Campaign Contributions
Total Raised	$1,076,686
Total Spent	$809,638
Top five industries that contributed to campaign committee
Real Estate	$99,005
Lawyers/Law Firms	$41,687
Building Trade Unions	$39,500
Commercial Banks	$31,550
Health Professionals	$31,090
% total in top industry	9.2%
% total in top two industries	13.07%
% total in top five industries	22.55%

Analysis

Ideology and leadership

See also: GovTrack's Political Spectrum & Legislative Leadership ranking

Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by GovTrack, O'Rourke was a moderate Democratic follower as of July 2014. In June 2013, O'Rourke was rated as a "centrist Democrat."^[129]

Like-minded colleagues

The website OpenCongress tracks the voting records of each member to determine with whom he or she votes most and least often. The results include a member from each party.^[130]

O'Rourke most often votes with:

O'Rourke least often votes with:

Lifetime voting record

See also: Lifetime voting records of United States Senators and Representatives

According to the website GovTrack, O'Rourke missed 20 of 1,736 roll call votes from January 2013 to September 2015. This amounted to 1.2 percent, which was lower than the median of 2.2 percent among representatives as of September 2015.^[131]

National Journal vote ratings

See also: National Journal vote ratings

Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of Congress voted in the previous year. Click the link above for the full ratings of all members of Congress.

2013

O'Rourke ranked 54th in the liberal rankings in 2013.^[132]

Voting with party

The website OpenCongress tracks how often members of Congress vote with the majority of the chamber caucus.

2014

O'Rourke voted with the Democratic Party 93.8 percent of the time, which ranked 77th among the 204 House Democratic members as of July 2014.^[133]

2013

O'Rourke voted with the Democratic Party 96.2 percent of the time, which ranked 63rd among the 201 House Democratic members as of June 2013.^[134]

2016 Democratic National Convention

Delegate to the 2016 DNC (click to expand)

See also: Democratic National Convention, 2016

O'Rourke was a superdelegate to the 2016 Democratic National Convention from Texas.^[135] O'Rourke was one of 29 superdelegates from Texas. Superdelegates to the 2016 Democratic National Convention were not bound by the results of their state’s primary or caucus to support a specific presidential candidate. O'Rourke supported Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination.^[136] Clinton formally won the Democratic nomination for president on July 26, 2016.^[137]

What is a superdelegate?

See also: Superdelegates and the 2016 Democratic National Convention

Superdelegates in 2016 were automatic delegates to the Democratic National Convention, meaning that, unlike regular delegates, they were not elected to this position. Also unlike regular delegates, they were not required to pledge their support to any presidential candidate, and they were not bound by the results of their state's presidential primary election or caucus. In 2016, superdelegates included members of the Democratic National Committee, Democratic members of Congress, Democratic governors, and distinguished party leaders, including former presidents and vice presidents. All superdelegates were free to support any presidential candidate of their choosing at the 2016 Democratic National Convention.^[138]

Texas primary results

See also: Presidential election in Texas, 2016

Hillary Clinton won the Texas Democratic primary election. Polls from late February 2016 showed her with a thirty point lead over her opponent Bernie Sanders. Exit poll data compiled by CNN shows that Clinton outperformed Sanders with both men and women in Texas, winning 56 percent and 65 percent respectively. Clinton also won over non-white voters. Latino voters, who made up 28 percent of the Democratic electorate, supported Clinton by 67 percent. She won 80 percent of black voters.^[139]

Texas Democratic Primary, 2016
Candidate	Vote %	Votes	Delegates
Hillary Clinton	65.2%	936,004	147
Bernie Sanders	33.2%	476,547	75
Roque De La Fuente	0.6%	8,429	0
Calvin Hawes	0.1%	2,017	0
Keith Judd	0.2%	2,569	0
Star Locke	0.1%	1,711	0
Martin O'Malley	0.4%	5,364	0
Willie Wilson	0.2%	3,254	0
Totals		1,435,895	222
Source: Texas Secretary of State and CNN

Delegate allocation

See also: 2016 presidential nominations: calendar and delegate rules

Texas had 251 delegates at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. Of this total, 222 were pledged delegates. National party rules stipulated how Democratic delegates in all states were allocated. Pledged delegates were allocated to a candidate in proportion to the votes he or she received in a state's primary or caucus. A candidate was eligible to receive a share of the state's pledged delegates if he or she won at least 15 percent of the votes cast in the primary or caucus. There were three types of pledged Democratic delegates: congressional district delegates, at-large delegates, and party leaders and elected officials (PLEOs). Congressional district delegates were allocated proportionally based on the primary or caucus results in a given district. At-large and PLEO delegates were allocated proportionally based on statewide primary results.^[140]^[141]

Twenty-nine party leaders and elected officials served as unpledged delegates. These delegates were not required to adhere to the results of a state's primary or caucus.^[140]^[142]

Ballot measure activity

Note: Ballotpedia tracked Beto O'Rourke as a ballot measures influencer through 2019. You can send information about this influencer’s current involvement with ballot measures to editor@ballotpedia.org.

The following table details O'Rourke's ballot measure stances available on Ballotpedia:

Ballot measure support and opposition for Beto O'Rourke
Ballot measure	Year	Position	Status
San Antonio, Texas, Proposition B, Repeal Police Collective Bargaining Initiative (May 2021)	2021	Supported^[143]	d Defeated
California Proposition 15, Tax on Commercial and Industrial Properties for Education and Local Government Funding Initiative (2020)	2020	Supported^[144]	d Defeated

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
O'Rourke lives in Sunset Heights with his wife, Amy Sanders, and their three children.^[145]

External links

Search Google News for this topic

Candidate

Governor of Texas

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by Silvestre Reyes	U.S. House of Representatives - Texas District 16 2013-2019	Succeeded by Veronica Escobar (D)

[1] "Twitter," "I'm running for governor," accessed November 15, 2021

[2] "Texas Tribune," "Beto O’Rourke says he’s running for Texas governor," accessed November 15, 2021

[beto-3] 3.0 ^3.1 The New York Times, "Beto O’Rourke Enters the 2020 Presidential Campaign," March 14, 2019

[withdraw-4] 4.0 ^4.1 CNBC, "Beto O’Rourke is dropping out of the 2020 presidential race," November 1, 2019

[OldBio-5] NBC News, "10 things about Beto O'Rourke," March 14, 2019

[bio-6] Beto for Texas, "About Beto," accessed February 14, 2022

[7] Texas Secretary of State, "2016 March Primary Election Candidate Filings by County," accessed December 15, 2015

[primaryresults16-8] The New York Times, "Texas Primary Results," March 1, 2016

[9] Texas GOP, "Republican candidate list," accessed May 10, 2012

[10] Texas Secretary of State, "Unofficial Republican primary results," May 29, 2012

[quotedisclaimer-11] 11.0 ^11.1 ^11.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.

[12] Beto for Texas, “Issues,” accessed February 14, 2022

[13] Beto for Texas, "Issues," accessed September 10, 2018

[14] Campaign website, "Home," accessed June 30, 2012

[15] U.S. House Clerk, "Official Alphabetical List of the House of Representatives of the United States One Hundred Fifteenth Congress," accessed February 2, 2017

[16] U.S. House of Representatives, Office of the Clerk, "Committee Information," accessed February 20, 2015

[17] CQ.com, "House Committee Rosters for the 113th Congress," accessed March 3, 2013

[18] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 434," accessed December 13, 2018

[19] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 284," June 21, 2018

[20] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 282," June 21, 2018

[21] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 434," accessed March 12, 2019

[22] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 549," October 3, 2017

[23] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 344," June 29, 2017

[24] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 342," June 29, 2017

[25] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 256," May 4, 2017

[26] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 405," September 26, 2018

[27] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 399," September 13, 2018

[28] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 313," June 28, 2018

[29] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 257," June 8, 2018

[30] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 216," May 22, 2018

[31] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 127," March 22, 2018

[32] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 69," February 9, 2018

[33] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 60," February 6, 2018

[34] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 44," January 22, 2018

[35] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 33," January 18, 2018

[36] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 708," December 21, 2017

[37] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 692," December 19, 2017

[38] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 670," December 7, 2017

[39] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 637," November 16, 2017

[40] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 589," October 26, 2017

[41] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 557," October 5, 2017

[42] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 528," September 14, 2017

[43] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 480," September 8, 2017

[44] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 441," September 6, 2017

[45] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 299," June 8, 2017

[46] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 249," May 3, 2017

[47] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 230," May 24, 2018

[48] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 49," January 30, 2018

[49] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 631," November 14, 2017

[50] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 435," July 27, 2017

[51] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 413," July 25, 2017

[52] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 437," July 28, 2017

[53] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 407," July 24, 2017

[54] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 378," July 14, 2017

[55] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 136," March 8, 2017

[56] Congressional Record, "Resume of Congressional Activity, First Session of the 113th Congress," accessed April 29, 2015

[57] Congressional Record, "Resume of Congressional Activity, Second Session of the 114th Congress," accessed January 5, 2017

[58] Congressional Record, "Resume of Congressional Activity, First Session of the One Hundred Fourteenth Congress," April 13, 2015

[59] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 361," June 12, 2015

[60] Roll Call, "Deadline for TAA Do-Over Vote Extended to July 30 (Updated)," June 15, 2015

[61] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 362," June 12, 2015

[62] Roll Call, "Deadline for TAA Do-Over Vote Extended to July 30 (Updated)," June 15, 2015

[63] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 374," June 18, 2015

[64] Politico, "Trade turnaround: House backs new power for Obama," June 18, 2015

[65] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 388," June 24, 2015

[66] The Hill, "Obama signs trade bills," June 29, 2015

[67] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 239," accessed May 27, 2015

[68] Congress.gov, "H.R. 1735," accessed May 27, 2015

[69] The Hill, "Redone defense policy bill sails through House," accessed November 12, 2015

[70] Congress.gov, "S. 1356," accessed November 12, 2015

[71] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 618," accessed November 12, 2015

[72] Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to S. 1356)," accessed November 12, 2015

[73] Congress.gov, "S.Con.Res.11," accessed May 5, 2015

[74] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 183," accessed May 5, 2015

[75] The Hill, "Republicans pass a budget, flexing power of majority," accessed May 5, 2015

[76] Congress.gov, "HR 1314 - Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015," accessed November 1, 2015

[77] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 579," accessed November 1, 2015

[78] Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1314)," accessed November 1, 2015

[79] Congress.gov, "H.R.1191 - Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015," accessed May 16, 2015

[80] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 226," accessed May 16, 2015

[81] Congress.gov, "HR 3461," accessed September 11, 2015

[82] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 493," accessed September 11, 2015

[83] Congress.gov, "HR 3460," accessed September 10, 2015

[84] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 494," accessed September 11, 2015

[85] Congress.gov, "H Res 411," accessed September 10, 2015

[rc492-86] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 492," accessed September 10, 2015

[87] Congress.gov, "HR 597," accessed November 2, 2015

[88] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 576," accessed November 2, 2015

[89] Congress.gov, "H.R.2048," accessed May 26, 2015

[90] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 224," accessed May 26, 2015

[91] Congress.gov, "HR 36 - the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act," accessed May 16, 2015

[92] Clerk.House.gov, "HR 36," accessed May 16, 2015

[93] Congress.gov, "HR 1731," accessed November 2, 2015

[94] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 173," accessed November 2, 2015

[95] Congress.gov, "HR 1560 - Protecting Cyber Networks Act," accessed November 1, 2015

[96] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 170," accessed November 1, 2015

[97] Congress.gov, "HR 4038 - the American SAFE Act of 2015," accessed November 20, 2015

[98] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 643," accessed November 20, 2015

[99] Congressional Record, "Resume of Congressional Activity, First Session of the 112th Congress," accessed September 5, 2013

[100] Congressional Record, "Resume of Congressional Activity, Second Session of the 113th Congress," accessed March 4, 2014

[resolutionvote-101] 101.0 ^101.1 The Hill, "House votes to condemn administration over Taliban prisoner swap," September 9, 2014

[bergdahlvote-102] 102.0 ^102.1 ^102.2 U.S. House, "Roll Call Vote 485," accessed September 10, 2014

[103] Project Vote Smart, "HR 1960 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 - Voting Record," accessed September 16, 2013

[104] Project Vote Smart, "HR 2217 - DHS Appropriations Act of 2014 - Voting Record," accessed September 16, 2013

[105] Project Vote Smart, "HR 624 - CISPA (2013) - Voting Record," accessed September 16, 2013

[106] Clerk of U.S. House, "Roll Call Vote 31: H.R. 2642," accessed February 12, 2014

[107] Politico, "House clears Farm Bill," accessed February 12, 2014

[farm-108] 108.0 ^108.1 New York Times, "Senate passes long-stalled Farm Bill, with clear winners and losers," accessed February 12, 2014

[cnnhousevote-109] 109.0 ^109.1 CNN.com, "House passes compromise $1.1 trillion budget for 2014," accessed January 20, 2014

[vote-110] 110.0 ^110.1 ^110.2 U.S. House, "Roll Call Vote 21," accessed January 20, 2014

[111] Roll Call, "Omnibus Sails Through the Senate," January 16, 2014

[112] Clerk of the U.S. House, "Final vote results for Roll Call 504," accessed October 31, 2013

[113] Buzzfeed, "Government Shutdown: How We Got Here," accessed October 1, 2013

[114] Clerk of the U.S. House, "Final vote results for Roll Call 504," accessed October 31, 2013

[115] The Washington Post, "Reid, McConnell propose bipartisan Senate bill to end shutdown, extend borrowing," accessed October 16, 2013

[116] U.S. House, "Final vote results for Roll Call 550," accessed October 31, 2013

[117] Washington Post, "Which lawmakers will refuse their pay during the shutdown?" accessed October 2, 2013

[118] Project Vote Smart, "HR 273 - Eliminates the 2013 Statutory Pay Adjustment for Federal Employees - Voting Record," accessed September 16, 2013

[119] The Library of Congress, "H.AMDT.136," accessed September 16, 2013

[120] Project Vote Smart, "H Amdt 136 - Prohibits the Enforcement of the Immigration Executive Order - Voting Record," accessed September 16, 2013

[121] Project Vote Smart, "H Amdt 450 - Requires Congressional Approval for Any Rules Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act - Voting Record," accessed September 16, 2013

[122] Project Vote Smart, "HR 1797 - Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act - Voting Record," accessed September 16, 2013

[123] OpenSecrets, "Beto O'Rourke (D-Texas), 2012," accessed February 18, 2014

[124] This figure represents the total percentage growth from either 2004 (if the member entered office in 2004 or earlier) or the member's first year in office (as noted in the chart below).

[125] This number was found by dividing each member's total net worth growth percentage by the number of years included in the calculation.

[126] This figure represents the total percentage growth divided by the number of years for which there are net worth figures for each member.

[127] This figure was calculated using median asset data from the Census Bureau. Please see the Congressional Net Worth data for Ballotpedia spreadsheet for more information on this calculation.

[128] OpenSecrets.org, "Rep. Beto O'Rourke," accessed September 23, 2014

[129] GovTrack, "Beto O'Rourke," accessed June 4, 2013

[130] OpenCongress, "Beto O'Rourke," accessed October 2, 2015

[131] GovTrack, "Rep. Beto O'Rourke (D)," accessed October 2, 2015

[132] National Journal, "2013 Congressional Vote Ratings," accessed July 18, 2014

[133] OpenCongress, "Voting With Party," accessed July 2014

[134] OpenCongress, "Voting With Party," accessed July 2014

[135] Ballotpedia's list of superdelegates to the 2016 Democratic National Convention is based on our own research and lists provided by the Democratic National Committee to Vox.com in February 2016 and May 2016. If you think we made an error in identifying superdelegates, please send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

[136] El Paso Times, “Rep. Beto O'Rourke endorses Hillary Clinton,” June 10, 2016

[137] To find out which candidate a superdelegate supported, Ballotpedia sought out public statements from the superdelegate in other media outlets and on social media. If we were unable to find a public statement that clearly articulated which candidate the superdelegate supported at the national convention, we listed that superdelegate as "unknown." If you believe we made an error in identifying which candidate a superdelegate supported, please email us at editor@ballotpedia.org.

[138] Congressional Research Service, "The Presidential Nominating Process and the National Party Conventions, 2016: Frequently Asked Questions," December 30, 2015

[txexit-139] CNN, "Texas Exit Polls," March 1, 2016

[apdem-140] 140.0 ^140.1 Democratic National Committee, "2016 Democratic National Convention Delegate/Alternate Allocation," updated February 19, 2016

[141] The Green Papers, "2016 Democratic Convention," accessed May 7, 2021

[142] Democratic National Committee's Office of Party Affairs and Delegate Selection, "Unpledged Delegates -- By State," May 27, 2016

[143] San Antonio Current, "San Antonio police accountability measure Prop B grabs high-profile endorsement of Beto O'Rourke," April 21, 2021

[144] Schools & Communities First, "Dem 2020 Candidates Backing ‘Split Roll’," October 10, 2019

[nj-145] Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named nj

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