Beto strikes out but is a hit at baseball fundraiser

AUSTIN — Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Beto O’Rourke struck out at his first at-bat for Los Diablitos de El Paso Saturday, but his pitch for education, good wages, health care and an immigration plan that reflects the diversity of Texas hit home with a crowd gathered for a baseball fundraiser for his campaign.

“We feel so much hope right now,” said O’Rourke, an El Paso congressman waging an uphill fight against Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.

Accompanied by his wife, Amy, and daughter, Molly, O’Rourke said one of their sons had his own game that day in El Paso, as his dad’s team faced the Austin Playboys.

“I guarantee you he didn’t just get three pitches and three strikes like his old man,” said O’Rourke.

He can afford a laugh, since he has dusted Cruz in fundraising by taking in an eye-popping $6.7 million in the first three months of this year. That’s more than twice the $3.2 million gathered by Cruz, whose tally counted money from multiple campaign entities including a political action committee.

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O’Rourke won’t take PAC money, a stand that’s expected to put him at a fundraising disadvantage as the general election nears. He said Saturday that he and his supporters are “doing this 100 percent the right way. There are no political action committees, no corporations.

“It’s just the people, the people of Texas, and you all look awesome,” O’Rourke told supporters who filled The Long Time grounds with a laid-back vibe as they sipped beer, wine, lemonade or water, sitting on blankets, a small stand of bleachers and scattered chairs; children and amiable dogs milling around.

Saturday’s event raised more than $60,000, according to O’Rourke’s campaign.

Before O’Rourke spoke, he led the group in singing “Happy Birthday” to Britt Daniel, co-founder of the band Spoon, who was among a list of musicians providing entertainment.

Supporters acknowledged the tough battle faced by O’Rourke in a state that hasn’t elected a Democrat statewide in more than two decades, but they expressed some hope. People waited in line to meet him, grab a photo and, in the case of one little boy, hand him a wad of small bills that he had raised for the campaign.

“We live in interesting times,” said El Paso City Rep. Peter Svarzbein, a member of the team, whose jerseys sported “Beto 4 Texas” on the back. “We all know who our president is. Nobody thought that would happen.”

Lori Doran of Austin said that as a mother, reform of gun laws is important to her.

“We support change,” she said of her support for O’Rourke.

Julie Walker said she appreciates O’Rourke’s emphasis on core issues, comparing his focus to that of the young survivors of a Florida school shooting who have driven the conversation on gun control.

“He is able to somehow not get mired in all of the just stupid arguments,” Walker said.

Kathy Jones said the key will be “getting people to realize their voice could make a difference,” recounting the story of a friend who didn’t vote in the last presidential election because she thought Donald Trump would win regardless in Texas.

“There is a consequence” to like-minded people failing to vote, agreed Walker. “Trump is a consequence.”