Political scientist Michael Cornfield said on Wednesday that, despite his loss against Sen. Ted Cruz Rafael (Ted) Edward CruzTrump argues full Supreme Court needed to settle potential election disputes Press: Notorious RBG vs Notorious GOP The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Washington on edge amid SCOTUS vacancy MORE (R-Texas) on Tuesday, Rep. Beto O'Rourke Beto O'RourkeJimmy Carter says his son smoked pot with Willie Nelson on White House roof O'Rourke endorses Kennedy for Senate: 'A champion for the values we're most proud of' 2020 Democrats do convention Zoom call MORE (D-Texas) will play a major role in choosing the Democratic presidential nominee in 2020.

"At the very least, Beto O'Rourke is someone who's going to help decide who the Democratic nominee because he has a fundraising list," Cornfield, the director of the GW Politics Poll, told Hill.TV's Joe Concha on "What America's Thinking."

"He set a record for Senate fundraising," he continued. "And most of that was small donors, which means he has their names."

"He's also rewritten the textbook...on how to use Facebook, both in terms of advertising, and his 'I'm narrating my life live on Facebook,'" he said.

"He will continue to do that, and as long as he continues to do that he will have a national following, and he will have money that he can either use himself, or swing toward the candidate of his choice," he added.

O'Rourke raised Democrats' hopes of a blue wave in heavily red Texas this year but lost to Cruz in the midterm elections.

He raised close to $70 million during the midterm campaign cycle.

— Julia Manchester