How Beto’s Loss May Account For a Long-Term Win for Texas

You’ve probably heard the name Beto O’Rourke. This passionate El Paso native is the U.S. Representative for Texas's 16th congressional district. However, it was only until the 2018 midterm elections that Beto truly became a household name.

Beto ran against Republican incumbent Ted Cruz in the Texas Senate race. Beto's platform focused on issues such as providing more jobs, widening access to health care providers and increasing wages for teachers.

The Democratic nominee raised an unprecedented amount of money in donations during his campaign. With a donation pool of over $70 million, Beto definitely provided credibility to his tagline, “powered by people, not PACs.”

Many celebrities, especially those from Texas, openly endorsed Beto in the race for Senate. Some prominent names include Beyonce, Travis Scott, Michael Jordan and Khalid.

Simultaneously, Beto traveled to every county in Texas, all 254 of them, to garner support and spread his message of acceptance and equality. For the first time since 1935, Texans were greeted with the possibility of having a Democratic senator.

Unfortunately, despite mass amounts of support, in and out of Texas, Beto suffered a heartbreaking loss this Tuesday. Cruz was victorious by a mere margin; 51 percent to Beto’s 48 percent.

It is challenging to see someone fight so persistently and with such dynamic passion only to watch them lose by such a miniscule margin. However, this loss, though painful to process, is just the beginning. It is imperative to recognize the impact that Beto has had on the American political climate and the discourse surrounding it.

Texas, a historically Republican state, was split in the middle. This astonishing feat is indicative of how diverse the views of Texans are, something that may have not been revealed if Beto had not brought such persistence and diligence to the table this election season.

Moreover, nothing, not even the results of the Senate election, can overshadow how much of an impact Beto had and will continue to have, especially on young voters.

Texans were much more engaged in this election, especially young, newly-registered voters. Early voting rates among young adults in Texas were up 508% compared to the 2014 midterm election.

Beto’s admirable campaign was inspiring and undoubtedly lit a fire in the hearts of many American citizens. The Democratic candidate repeatedly conveyed the prevalence of fighting for what you believe to be right, no matter the strength of the opposition.

Beto electrified the nation, not just Texas, with his messages of acceptance and equality. The steadfast hope and equality Beto O'Rourke built his campaign around was unrivaled. He unquestionably gave us something to look forward to, and we have no doubt that bigger things are coming from Beto.

Whether he continues to work on bettering the lives of Texans or decides to run for president in the upcoming election, Beto will bring a brighter future for all of us.