Beto O’Rourke leads in 2020 presidential straw poll from MoveOn

U.S. Senator Democrat candidate Beto O'Rourke talks with voters at Northeast Multi-Service Center on the first day of early voting in Texas on Monday, Oct. 22, 2018 in Houston. U.S. Senator Democrat candidate Beto O'Rourke talks with voters at Northeast Multi-Service Center on the first day of early voting in Texas on Monday, Oct. 22, 2018 in Houston. Photo: Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff Photographer Photo: Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff Photographer Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Beto O’Rourke leads in 2020 presidential straw poll from MoveOn 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Beto O’Rourke is leading the pack of contenders for 2020 according to a new straw poll of one of the most influential progressive policy advocacy groups in Democratic politics.

The straw poll of members of MoveOn shows the El Paso Congressman was the choice of almost 16 percent of respondents. Former Vice President Joe Biden was second at just under 15 percent, followed by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders at 13 percent and California U.S. Kamala Harris at 10 percent.

No other Democratic contender received more than 10 percent of the vote. Nearly 18 percent said the did not know who they support yet.

MoveOn, founded in 1998, has been a major player in Democratic politics over the last two decades, raising million of dollars for Democratic candidates. In early 2008, MoveOn’s membership voted to endorse U.S. Sen. Barack Obama early in the primary season, giving the future president a major boost at a key point in the campaign. In 2014, the organization made a major push to get U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren to run for the White House. When she did not run, the group threw its support behind Sanders.

MoveOn stressed on Tuesday that the group is not endorsing any candidates at this point, but the straw poll “helps illuminate what progressive voters are looking for as the 2020 presidential primary gets underway.”

O’Rourke initially was adamant that he would not run for president in 2020. But late last month at a town hall meeting in El Paso, O’Rourke changed his tune and refused to rule out running in 2020. He hasn’t said he is running, but has reportedly met with Obama and other top Democratic leaders.