Oh no! On Sunday night, 2020 presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke announced that both he and his wife, Amy, are descendants of slave owners.

“Something that we’ve been talking about in town hall meetings – the legacy of slavery in the United States – now has a much more personal connection. I was recently given documents showing that both Amy and I are descended from people who owned slaves.”

Something that we've been talking about in town hall meetings — the legacy of slavery in the United States — now has a much more personal connection. I was recently given documents showing that both Amy and I are descended from people who owned slaves. https://t.co/rGKKLqcoKf — Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) July 15, 2019

Upon receiving this news, he penned an email to his supporters entitled “Rose and Eliza,” the names of the slaves his great, great, great paternal grandfather owned in 1850. He wrote:

I benefit from a system that my ancestors built to favor themselves at the expense of others. That only increases the urgency I feel to help change this country. That those enslaved Americans owned by my ancestors were denied their freedom, denied the ability to amass wealth, denied full civil rights in America after slavery also had long term repercussions for them and their descendants. I benefit from a system that my ancestors built to favor themselves at the expense of others,” he added in the post, a defense of reparations.

Wow: @BetoORourke just sent out a long email discussing how he's descended from people who owned slaves, writes, "I benefit from a system that my ancestors built to favor themselves at the expense of others. That only increases the urgency I feel to help change this country." pic.twitter.com/mV8XMu7mET — Grace Panetta (@grace_panetta) July 15, 2019

Here we go. Suddenly Beto has discovered he has a personal connection to a profound and timely issue which he can use to inject new life into his floundering campaign.

No one can be held responsible for choices their ancestors made two centuries ago. And Beto knows that. But with his current support stuck at 2.5%, you better believe he will take this latest news and run with it. He’ll do his best to revive that old “Beto-mania.” We may even see a tear or two.

One reader clearly agrees. He wrote, “He’s going to tear a pandering ligament here soon.”