US congressman Beto O’Rourke, tipped to challenge Republican heavyweight Ted Cruz in the upcoming elections for the Texas senate seat, has raised nearly three times more funds than his potential rival.

O’Rourke, who strongly opposes building a wall across the US border with Mexico, raised approximately US$2.3 million in the first six weeks of 2018, while Cruz took in only US$800,000.

Although Ted Cruz, who fought with President Donald Trump for the Republican presidential candidacy two years ago, is still the favorite to win the election, it is clear that O’Rourke is closing the gap pretty quickly.

O’Rourke’s victory may go a long way toward bolstering Texas’ trade with Mexico, despite President Donald Trump’s wall plans.

In an interview with Nearshore Americas some years ago, O’Rourke stated that “a good relationship with Mexico is critical to the success of the United States”.

He is also of the view that the border trade plays a pivotal role in creating jobs. “Barely any people know that about 40% of the value of all imports from Mexico is actually generated in the US through parts manufacturing or labor,” he said. “By simply militarizing [the border], we are missing the opportunities to capitalize on trade.”

These days, O’Rourke is insisting that young immigrants brought to the US illegally as children should be protected.

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Texas has not been represented by a democrat in the Senate for more than a decade. But now, with the Latino population rising in the state and a groundswell of opposition to incumbent Republican candidates coming for re-election in the midterm, O’Rourke’s prospects are far better than expected.