Beto has the chance to be the alpha this year, political watchers say.

The man already known with single-name-status as Beto — given name Robert Francis O’Rourke — will leave his seat representing El Paso in the U.S. House of Representatives in the coming days, following a loss in his U.S. Senate run. But O’Rourke’s stock as a possible presidential contender rides high and is expected to stay there, as early polls show him near the top of the list for the Democratic nomination for president in 2020.

“Beto’s a candidate who’s really exciting people,” Democratic consultant Neil Oxman told the Herald.

The 46-year-old O’Rourke, a former drummer in a punk-rock band, was elected to three terms in the House before taking on U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz last year. O’Rourke lost, but kept the race close in deep-red Texas, and grew a huge following on the left.

Much of the huge sum O’Rourke raised to run against Cruz came from donations from Massachusetts, New York and California, according to media reports.