O’Rourke plans Iowa push before debate deadline
AUSTIN — With just about three months until Iowa begins voting in the first-inthe-nation caucuses, Democrat Beto O’Rourke is planning a big push in that state as he continues to struggle to qualify for future presidential debates.
O’Rourke, who has already visited the state more than most of the Democratic contenders, has 12 events planned over five days in 10 cities starting on Friday in Iowa, the state that will be first to vote on Feb. 3.
The push comes as the former El Paso congressman has struggled in polling both nationally and in Iowa. Earlier this year, O’Rourke was polling over 10 percent and considered one of the front-runners. Now, he’s struggling to hit 3 percent — a key requirement to qualify for the next presidential debate in Atlanta. Candidates need to hit 3 percent in four recognized national polls to make the debate stage in November. O’Rourke has hit that mark in two polls since Sept. 13. He needs to hit 3 percent in two more polls before Nov. 13. In December, candidates will have to hit 4 percent or more.
O’Rourke has been in all four of the previous debates
“I would love to be doing a lot better, that’s for sure,” O’Rourke said during an interview on “The Daily Show With Trevor Noah” that aired on Monday.
But O’Rourke added that he doesn’t think the energy of his supporters is being reflected in the polls yet and is trying to change that.
O’Rourke’s campaign is telling reporters that they still see a path to the Democratic nomination. They point out that a vast majority of Iowa voters are still undecided about who they will pick on Feb. 3.
“Beto remains well-positioned to surge this fall,” O’Rourke’s campaign told reporters in a statement.
O’Rourke will appear Friday night in Des Moines with a speech to the Iowa Democratic Party. He wraps up the trip on Tuesday with a “Beers with Beto” event in Ames.