2020 Democratic presidential candidate, Robert Francis “Beto” O’Rourke, from Texas, will be in Southwest Iowa today, holding town hall events. His schedule includes:

• 8:30am   Cottonwood Pavilion, Shenandoah
• 10:45am  Chautauqua Park, Red Oak
• 1:00pm    Sunnyside Park, Atlantic (O’Rouke is scheduled to speak at 1:30-p.m.)
• 3:45pm    Old Depot, Creston

The 46-year old O’Rouke is a businessman, musician, and politician who represented Texas’ 16th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 2013 to 2019. After being re-elected to the House in 2014 and 2016, O’Rourke declined to seek re-election in 2018. Instead, he ran for United States Senate against incumbent Republican Ted Cruz. His campaign received significant national attention for its record fundraising, ability to draw large crowds, and extensive use of social media. Cruz narrowly defeated O’Rourke 50.9% to 48.3% while O’Rourke set a record for most votes cast for a Democrat in Texas history.

On March 14, 2019, O’Rourke announced his campaign for President of the United States in the 2020 United States presidential election.