Democratic politician Beto O’Rourke will speak about voting rights and the state of his party in Texas at a virtual event hosted by the Kennedy Political Union on April 6, the group announced Wednesday.
O’Rourke, a former U.S. representative, will also discuss his organization Powered By People, which helps Texans get more involved in elections. In 2018, O’Rourke lost to Republican Sen. Ted Cruz in a contentious bid for Cruz’s Senate seat.
O’Rourke unsuccessfully ran in the crowded 2020 Democratic presidential primary race. He campaigned on a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and gun control legislation but was unable to draw enough support in the hotly-contested field.
When a deadly winter storm in Texas left millions without power in February, O’Rourke volunteered to deliver food and water to the state’s residents, the El Paso Times reported. The former presidential candidate also gathered volunteers to make calls to senior citizens.
The School of Public Affairs and AU College Democrats are co-hosting the event. Ron Elving, a SPA professor and NPR News correspondent, will moderate the discussion.
The Zoom webinar, which is free for AU students, will take place on April 6 at 7 p.m.
