EL PASO, Texas _ Beto O'Rourke focused heavily Saturday on a Texas narrative he's used to rise from El Paso council member to Senate candidate to Democratic presidential candidate.
O'Rourke, at a rally in his hometown, hoped to draw a stark contrast with President Donald Trump, telling Americans that the nation can do better on many fronts, including developing a compassionate immigration system that secures the border, implementing criminal justice reform _ including marijuana legalization _ and paying workers a fair wage and helping them get affordable health care.
"This is a campaign for America, for everyone in America," he said. "This is our moment of truth, and we cannot be found wanting."
El Paso is not just his hometown, but also a symbol of his message: "We are safe. Not despite the fact that we are a city of immigrants and asylum seekers. We are safe because we are a city of immigrants and asylum seekers."
Given that El Paso is a border community O'Rourke calls one of the safest cities in America, and that Texas has the most uninsured residents in the nation, he considers himself uniquely qualified to be the party's standard-bearer and warrior against the formidable Trump. However, his speech also comes as a crisis is unfolding at the border. Trump, citing the increasing border crossings, has threatened to close the border next week.
Some Democrats say O'Rourke's Texas ties make him the ideal candidate.
"Trump's message is, be afraid of immigrants," said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins, who worked with O'Rourke on a voter turnout plan for North Texas last year. "In Texas, everybody sees the issue differently. People actually want to hear solutions to these issues from somebody who knows what the border is like. He's a credible voice for the reality of what the future of America can look like."
Rice University political scientist Mark Jones agreed that O'Rourke's Texas story is a critical component of his campaign.
"It allows him to distinguish himself from all the other candidates," Jones said. "He has a strong level of experience on border issues and immigration issues."
Before Saturday's rally, the Republican National Committee slammed O'Rourke for his positions on abortion and climate change, and for what they called a lack of policy proposals. But the biggest criticism came over the border.
"Beto O'Rourke kicks off his campaign today with zero awareness of the crisis our nation faces at our southern border, continuing to advocate for no barriers., said Christiana Purves, a spokeswoman for the Republican committee. "Texans deserve better than a leader who would increase the flow of drugs and crime by weakening our border security."
People filled downtown El Paso streets on a chilly morning to hear O'Rourke, running into a few pro-Trump protesters along the way.
Estella Flores, 69, walked by the protesters and said: "It's time for change. We need new blood to get the dinosaurs out of office. We need a fresh start."
She said her parents taught her to respect whoever lives in the White House. "But there is no respect for this man. He's tearing us apart."
The Trump supporters were questioning passersby if they believed in Jesus. Were they pro-abortion? Flores and others politely nodded. One man held a sign, "Irish I was Mexican."
"Beto supports abortion," said Manilo Urias Jr., 59. "Someone needs to call him out."
O'Rourke has spent two weeks campaigning in early-contest states: Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada. He played to enthusiastic crowds and attracted significant media attention.
Perhaps just as significant is his fundraising. On the first day of his campaign, he raised $6.1 million, more than any of the other candidates on their first days.
The combination of campaign cash, celebrity appeal and early positioning in various polls has made him a top contender for the Democratic presidential nomination.
"He's positioned himself in the top two candidates who have announced and the top three candidates overall," Jones said.
He's had some early stumbles. While in Iowa he had to apologize for joking that his wife raises their three kids "sometimes with my help," while conceding that he's white and privileged.
Still, analysts say O'Rourke has been impressive.
"His 2018 Senate campaign and the 2018 result put him in the conversation, along with his ability to raise money," said Nathan Gonzales, editor and publisher of the nonpartisan Inside Elections newsletter. "He's going to be a factor."
O'Rourke has pounded issues of equality and inclusion, including jobs and immigration.
"I want to make sure we rewrite our immigration laws in our own image," he said. "The image of Las Vegas, the image of El Paso, the image of the United States of America."
O'Rourke is against building Trump's proposed border wall and wants to provide a path to citizenship for the more than 11 million people in the county without authorization, who he said would "contribute far more than they take" from America.
"I want to make sure that we fulfill our promise, live to our potential and ensure that we bring out the very best from every single one of us."
O'Rourke has said that Americans should not have to work two or three jobs to make ends meet, calling for a minimum wage of at least $15 an hour.
O'Rourke also said he wants the school-to-prison pipeline in communities of color to end, adding that it's misguided to convict residents for carrying small amounts of marijuana when states have legalized it.
At various stops, the Democrat advocated for ending gun violence by instituting mandatory background checks and outlawing weapons of war.
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(Jeffers reported from Dallas.)
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