Former Democratic candidate Beto O’Rourke claims the energy in Texas is “even greater” than in his 2018 run when he came within 3 percentage points of incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX).
When asked by the Washington Examiner about the energy on the ground for Senate Democratic nominee James Talarico, O’Rourke pointed to the record-high turnout numbers seen in Harris County, with more than 100,000 people casting ballots on Monday, according to Houston Public Media.
“As great as that [2018] was, the energy today is even greater, and I can describe it in anecdotal terms, but we now have numbers because I’m talking to you on the second day of early voting,” O’Rourke explained. ”In 2018, on the first day of early voting, here in Harris County, Houston, Texas, this county set the all-time record for a midterm on the first day of turnout: 63,188 votes. That was the high-water mark. Well, yesterday, the first day of early voting in 2026, more than 100,000 people voted.”
O’Rourke joined Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Reps. Greg Casar (D-TX) and Christian Menefee (D-TX), as well as Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor Vikki Goodwin, for a rally at a prominent black church in the backyard of the University of Houston on the second day of early voting.
While Talarico and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa did not join them at the rally, each speaker encouraged attendees to get their friends and families out to vote for both candidates.
“When we elect U.S. Sen. James Talarico and Gov. Hinojosa, we’re going to bring back the Democratic Party of everyday folks,” Casar said at the rally.
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Talarico slightly leads his Republican opponent, Ken Paxton, in recent polls. He will need his supporters to turn out en masse to get him elected as the first Democrat statewide since 1994.
“I can tell you that I feel the energy, that it’s electric, but there’s exciting stuff on the ground,” O’Rourke told the Washington Examiner. “I can now point to the number of people who are voting significantly higher in 2018, which is already off the charts. So, this bodes well. It doesn’t mean that the job is finished. There is still a lot of work to do between now and Nov. 3, but this is off to a very positive start.”