[ad_1]
But on Thursday, at about the same time that O'Rourke was going from an event in Boston to New Hampshire, a poll of Monmouth University was published, showing him with a 2% support in the first state of country. In Iowa, where the first presidential caucuses traditionally take place, he rose from third place with 11% support to fifth place with only 5% support.
Asked about the state of his campaign, O'Rourke told reporters Friday at Colby-Sawyer College, "I do not think I have lost anything of the way I'm campaigning." Thirty people have applied According to a campaign assistant, more than 100 people showed up on Friday afternoon in a pouring rain.
Yet, it's not the thousands of people who have waited for hours that O 'Rourke shows up late for his first event at Keene State College in March, no more than the crowded crowds that have rushed into dinners and restaurants while O & # Rourke jumped tables, benches and chairs to meet them.
During his stay in New Hampshire, he maintained an ambitious program: eight events in three days. His wife, Amy, joined him for the first time in the White House election campaign.
In the middle of the race, O'Rourke said he felt "more comfortable" with the frantic pace of the campaign. His campaign, in many ways, is still in its infancy: his state director for New Hampshire has just started this week and his national campaign manager starts on Monday.
Until recently, O'Rourke was best known for his attempt to defeat Senator Ted Cruz in Texas – an unsuccessful effort that has raised more money than any other such race in history. Following his defeat, two separate drafts invited him to run for the White House. When he announced the announcement in March, Mr. O. Rourke had a record $ 6.1 million on the first day, more than even Senator Bernie Sanders, then considered the best fundraiser in the field.
Recognized for spreading his thoughts and travels in live campaigns on social networks, O'Rourke entered the race with a dash of brilliance – and many hours of cable coverage. Last week, when O'Rourke suspended his campaign to return home and look for the lost turtle of his family in El Paso, the move was rarely mentioned.
At a stop in New London, O'Rourke responded to questions from the public, ranging from climate change to prescription drug prices, to official relations between Cuba and the United States. In each case, he spent most of his response explaining the context "about how we got here," leaving vague what his plan would be. For example, on the subject of college affordability, he argued that he was encouraging more people attending community colleges, refinancing loans and making colleges free for those in less desirable jobs. in less interesting places – but he declined to say how he would finance these programs.
Retired banker Neil Wallace of Elkins, N.H., said he found O'Rourke "impressive" after watching him at a city hall. But as for his vote, Wallace said, the others were more in the mix because they gave more specific answers. There are more than 20 Democrats running for president.
O 'Rourke said at a house party held in Salem that Senator Cory Booker's proposal regarding firearms clearance by the federal government "was perhaps too far away" . But Friday morning, in a TV interview recorded for WMUR, he changed course. should explore this idea. "
The change, added O'Rourke, is that "I thought more about it."
Ricia McMahon, a long-time legislator in New Hampshire and former employee of Bill Clinton, said she was willing to support a woman in the presidency for the role played by Fred Astaire on tables, though that's not all. she loves O 'O' Rourke's energy for running.
"He came back to earth, but he still has a lot of time to recover," McMahon said.
James Pindell can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @jamespindell or subscribe to its Ground Game newsletter: http://pages.email.bostonglobe.com/GroundGameSignUp
[ad_2]
Source link