O’rourke adds his name to crowded field

EL PASO, Texas — Democrat Beto O’rourke has told a Texas TV station that he’s running for president in 2020.

The former Texas congressman sent a text message to KTSM in El Paso on Wednesday afternoon confirming the news that he will seek the Democratic presidential nomination.

O’rourke was little known outside his hometown of El Paso until he challenged Republican Sen. Ted Cruz last year. He got within 3 percentage points of upsetting Cruz in the nation’s largest red state and shattered national fundraising records while using grassroots organizing and social media savvy to mobilize young voters and minorities.

In his text message, O’rourke wrote: “I’m really proud of what El Paso did and what El Paso represents. It’s a big part of why I’m running. This city is the best example of this country at its best.”

O’rourke is planning a series of stops in the early voting state of Iowa beginning Thursday. O’rourke had previously declined to accept invitations to visit Democrats in Iowa, New Hampshire and other early nominating states.

As the Democratic field continues to grow, O’rourke’s decision puts the spotlight even more on former Vice President Joe Biden, who is considering another run. Biden indicated this week that he might make a decision in a few weeks. O’rourke