AUSTIN, Texas _ Beto O'Rourke may be testing the presidential waters with a trip to Iowa this weekend to campaign for a Democrat in a state Senate special election, according to a report Monday by CNN.
CNN also reported that O'Rourke has enlisted Norm Sterzenbach, a top Iowa Democratic campaign operative, for a possible presidential campaign. That report was confirmed by Iowa Starting Line, a website that provides the most detailed coverage of the politics surrounding the first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses.
An Iowa trip this weekend would be to help start a volunteer canvass for Democratic state Senate candidate Eric Giddens, on whose behalf O'Rourke has apparently been working on a campaign video, according to CNN. Two declared presidential candidates _ Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J. _ are scheduled to campaign for Giddens this weekend.
O'Rourke was in Austin Saturday for the South by Southwest premiere of "Running with Beto," a documentary about his failed U.S. Senate race against U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, last year, albeit one in which he came within 2.6 points of a Cruz, a strong showing for a Democrat in Texas.
As the movie was screening, an email from Cynthia Cano, the deputy campaign manager in O'Rourke's Senate race, went to supporters, leaving little doubt about a presidential campaign.
"There's been an outpouring of speculation, excitement, and support from people across the country _ everyone eagerly waiting for the news. Many of us are crossing our fingers and hoping that Beto has decided to run," she wrote. "If you're on the edge of your seat about Beto's decision around a potential 2020 run for president, you're not alone. But since you're someone who supported Beto's run for Senate, I wanted to invite you to be first to hear Beto's big announcement."
