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By Garrett Haake and Kailani Koenig
EL PASO, Texas – Former Texas Congressman Beto O'Rourke officially launched his presidential campaign in his hometown on Saturday morning, claiming to be a character capable of uniting Americans of all political stripes and promising to launch the biggest popular campaign in its history.
"Whatever our differences, where you live, who you love, who you pray to, who you voted for in the last election, let these differences do not define us and do not divide us right now," he said. O'Rourke to the crowd. "Let's agree, to move forward, before we are anything, we are American first."
The first of three planned rallies in Texas on Saturday took place a few blocks from the US-Mexico border, less than half a mile from downtown El Paso Street where he took the stage. Several thousand supporters have welcomed O'Rourke to El Paso, and others are expected when he visits two of the largest democratic fortresses, Texas Southern University in Houston this afternoon, and downtown Austin. evening.
O 'Rourke's relied heavily on how this binational community he grew up in shaped him – his years as a city council member and his surprising victory over an outgoing member more than six years ago until his transition to the position of local member. of the House focusing on issues related to veterans, immigration issues and beyond.
"It was very important for Amy and me to launch this campaign from El Paso. It's a city where I was born, "said O'Rourke, adding that he was raised and raised his family here." Perhaps, more importantly, for me, El Paso represents America at best. . For more than 100 years, this community has been welcoming generations of immigrants from all over Rio Grande. "
In a context where immigration and the idea of a border wall have become a major turning point in US policy, O'Rourke has tried to differentiate himself from the rest of the Democratic field by identifying himself heavily as a person of the border. Immigration was a fundamental issue for O'Rourke during his campaign in the 2018 Senate and early elementary school.
"We are not safe despite the fact that we are a city of immigrants and asylum seekers. we are safe because we are a city of immigrants and asylum seekers, "said Mr O. Rourke. We learned not to fear our differences, but to respect and accept them. We see that language is spoken in this community. Traditions and cultures are a strength for El Paso. We understand that, as Dr. King says, we are caught up in a vital mutuality network, knotted in one garment of destiny. "
At an appearance in the afternoon at Texas Southern University in Houston and late Saturday night, surrounded by a crowd of thousands of people in the shadow of the Capitol in Austin, O'Rourke touched on many of the themes that inspired his campaign so far.
"End the bond, put an end to for-profit prisons and end the war on drugs, which has become a war against the people," O'Rourke said to applaud on the scene in Austin.
The O'Rourke campaign began two weeks ago in Keokuk, Iowa, and immediately began to take place in the Midwest, as well as in the first states of New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada .
In the first 24 hours of his campaign, O'Rourke said he raised $ 6.1 million, giving the Democratic field a boost. His average donation was $ 48.
The first weeks of the campaign showed both the promise and the potential of this unorthodox candidate. His cafe and brewery events have been packed by many potential and curious voters, and his hiring of Jen O'Malley Dillion this week to run his campaign has shown a desire to professionalize his skeletal operation.
But O'Rourke faces a host of new challenges in a Democratic presidential primary that he was not faced with during the much-vaunted Senate race against Republican Ted Cruz last year. He enters a very busy environment with other Democratic stars from across the country in a year of high hunger among many Democrats for a ticket that includes gender diversity and racial diversity.
The co-presidential candidate for the Texas presidential election and rival Julián Castro launched his campaign from San Antonio in January and also focused on border issues.
O & # Rourke focused on her border community and drew the attention of Giselle Rodriguez of El Paso, who attended the rally and thinks that O & # 39; Rourke "is ready to be president, especially because he has personal experience in El Paso and because he is very involved at the border" she says. "It's a safe place … I go to Juarez whenever I want. I never have a problem. I never see a problem.
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