Last week I was in Archer City on my way to a town hall at Murn’s cafe. As I was crossing the street from the Spur Hotel, a man stopped me. Under the big blue sky, streaked with clouds, the lone traffic light blinking yellow, he asked me if I was Beto O’Rourke.

I told him I was, and he told me he had something to show me.

Paul with his photo of LBJ.

“This is a picture of my dad with Lyndon Johnson when he came to campaign in Archer City in 1948. LBJ landed in a helicopter in front of the courthouse, and then attended a reception at the Legion Hall down the street. My dad’s the skinny guy, fifth from the left.”

As far as he knew, that was the last time that a Senate candidate campaigned in Archer City until we showed up last week.

We had donuts and eggs with Paul and a couple dozen others, including the editor of the Archer County News. We talked about farming, ranching, energy, health insurance, veterans’ care and my commitment to hold a town hall like this one in every part of Texas as Senator.

I listened a lot, and I learned a lot. From Archer City we drove to Throckmorton. Then to Baird, and on to Coleman. Held a town hall in Brownwood, where a woman stood up and said, “I’m an independent voter. I have 46 grandkids. Was born with a .22 in my hands, and raised on a ranch. I want to know if I can trust you to stand up the NRA.”

She can, because I will.

And because you have contributed to this campaign, and because I will never take a dime from the NRA or any PAC, special interest or corporation, she will never have to wonder.

Donations like yours kept us on the road that day, where we had town halls in Stephenville and in Weatherford.

Nearly 400 people came out to the Raymond Curtis elementary school cafeteria in Weatherford that night, where a Democratic precinct chair pulled me aside and said “I’ve been doing these meetings for years and I’ve never seen this many people come out. And I don’t recognize most of them.”

I want to keep doing this the right way, meeting the people that I want to represent and serve. Whether we’re in Weatherford or Edinburg, Brownsville or Lufkin, I am going to keep showing up if you’ll keep giving me the chance to do it.

This is how we win.

Sincerely,

Beto