EL PASO, Texas — Win or lose Tuesday, Beto O’Rourke’s legacy in this border town is already cemented as a hometown boy whose quest for higher office helped reclaim the narrative of an underdog city, supporters and analysts here say.
“Beto is the ultimate ambassador for this city, and that’s very important for El Paso that he’s crisscrossing the state, talking with everyone from rock stars to celebrities to everyday people and he connects with them," said Richard Pineda, a political commentator and director of the Sam Donaldson Center for Communications Studies at the University of Texas at El Paso. “And that’s important because of issues like the border and immigration. He knows the heart and soul of his community and understands why this is such a great place.”
On Tuesday, O’Rourke kicked off Election Day with a rally in San Antonio, followed by visits to Dallas and Houston, and was scheduled to end his day in El Paso. At every stop, he urged people to the polls and said the victory was within reach, repeating stalwart issues from abortion rights to how to stop school shootings.
