Congressional representative and senatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke hosted a two-hour town hall in Lubbock on Tuesday. He addressed issues concerning universal health care, the opioid crisis, immigration, gun control and climate change.
“The only way I can only hope to represent you and serve you in the United States Senate is to show up and listen to you in person. I’m here in Lubbock to do just that,” said O’Rourke.
O’Rourke stopped in Seminole, Lubbock and Muleshoe on Tuesday as a part of his campaign to visit all 254 counties in Texas. In the Hub City, citizens had the opportunity to ask questions to the candidate, including swing voters.
“I think like many people, you want to see more cooperation in Washington and state legislature,” said a citizen at the town hall.
Timothy Nokken, an associate professor for political science at Texas Tech University, said O’Rourke’s community involvement has given him a lot of support in this race.
However, Nokken believed it will still be a battle for O’Rourke, considering the Republican roots in the state and West Texas region.
“Right now it’s pretty clear that O’Rourke is running a pretty strong campaign. He’s been generating a lot of grass root interest, he’s been raising a lot of money, generating statewide and a national profile. That’s the good part for him. The tough part for him is Texas is a solidly Republican state,” said Nokken.
O’Rourke and Texas Senator Ted Cruz will partake in five upcoming debates, one of which will be hosted in Lubbock on October 12.
“I’m just excited we are going to debate the issues between two candidates, our record service and our vision for this country,” said O’Rourke.
The topic of the debate will be health care.
