“That’s why I’m here today, to make sure that we write nobody off, to take no one for granted, involve every single person in this election and this campaign and the future of this country,” O’Rourke told the group.

Virginia’s presidential primary will be March 3. O’Rourke has tossed out the presidential campaign playbook, much as he did during his narrow U.S. Senate loss to incumbent Republican Ted Cruz last year in Texas, where he visited every locality, no matter how red.

“We should not be surprised when they do not vote for us when we do not see eye to eye on given issues,” O’Rourke said. “We just literally have not listened to one another and looked each other in the eye to have the necessary conversations.”

Larry Newberry, a longtime Bland resident, asked attendees if within the past two years, they’ve donated money to help pay for a funeral or cover health care costs. He asked how many knew someone struggling to pay their rent or mortgage or bills. He wanted to know how many knew someone waiting on an organ transplant.

Many of the people raised their hands.

“Why in this vast country that we’re trying to make great in the year 2019 should any of these things be happening?” Newberry said.