Now that Beto O’Rourke is out of the race for president, the stage is set for the El Paso Democrat to run for Senate.

But O’Rourke doesn’t want an encore, and if that decision holds, it will disappoint some Democrats and cause sighs of relief from others in an already large field of contenders seeking to take on longtime Republican incumbent John Cornyn.

Democrats in and outside of Texas have longed for O’Rourke to build on his electrifying but unsuccessful 2018 campaign against Republican incumbent Ted Cruz, hoping that he would give the party its first statewide victory since 1994 and help the Democratic presidential nominee wrestle the state away from President Donald Trump.

“I would support him if he wants to run for Senate,” said state Rep. Ana-Maria Ramos, D-Richardson, who endorsed O’Rourke for president. “At the polls last year some voters were telling me that ‘I’m not a Democrat, but I voted for you and Beto.’”

If you believe one of O’Rourke’s campaign aides, the dream of rekindling “Beto magic” in Texas is not only deferred, but up in smoke. He’s opted against a Senate campaign, as he’s done all year.

Still, it will take more than one “no” to convince some Texans that O’Rourke shouldn’t quickly regroup and file for the Senate race before the Dec. 9 deadline.

“I suspect there will be some kind of a draft movement,” said Ed Espinoza, executive director of an advocacy group called Progress Texas. “But this would be his third different campaign in 13 months. That takes an enormous physical toll on someone.”

Espinoza said O’Rourke, less than a year removed from his narrow defeat by Cruz, could be a different candidate than the one that thrilled voters in 2018. No two races are alike, and a lot has happened since then to shape the 2020 dynamic.

“Can he do it again?” Espinoza said of a potential O’Rourke Senate bid. “Can he raise the money?”

Before he ran for president, O’Rourke considered a Senate bid against Cornyn. He realized that race would be different than his tilt with Cruz, and he ultimately determined running for president was a better fit.

When his presidential bid began to lose steam, he insisted he would not end the campaign and then run against Cornyn.

There are already five major candidates in the Democratic Senate contest — former U.S. Rep. Chris Bell of Houston, former Air Force helicopter pilot and businesswoman MJ Hegar, Houston council member Amanda Edwards, activist Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez of Austin and state Sen. Royce West of Dallas. But none of the candidates have mustered O’Rourke’s star power and ability to raise large sums of money.

Some O’Rourke Democrats have moved on to support these candidates.

“I originally thought that the best move for Beto was to run for Senate,” said state Rep. Jessica Gonzalez of Dallas, who also backed O’Rourke for president. “I see him as an Obamaesque figure and thought he could provide that Beto magic, but I’ve given my support to Sen. Royce West.”

Until the filing period ends Dec. 9 and the matter is permanently closed, Democrats will debate whether O’Rourke should enter the race. And some will exert pressure on the former congressman to make another run, even as he declines to launch a third major campaign in three years.

The benefit of an O’Rourke Senate bid is clear. He’s well known throughout the state and could raise more money than anyone in the contest, making him the front-runner. Much of his 2018 campaign infrastructure is still in place.

If he’s on the ballot in 2020, it could help other candidates, including the nominee for president. As a presidential candidate, O’Rourke boasted that he could win Texas. As a Senate candidate, he could help a former rival in his party’s presidential race also win the state.

“He’s already crossed the $20 million Rubicon to high name recognition in Texas,” Democratic strategist Matt Angle said. “If Beto had run for Senate or got in the race several months ago, John Cornyn would be about to lose.”

Cornyn campaign manager John Jackson said O’Rourke’s next move would not impact the incumbent’s campaign.

“We welcome all challengers into the race, whether it’s Royce West, Chris Bell or Beto O’Rourke,” Jackson said.

His emergence as a candidate could compel the major Democratic contenders to study their options, but they’re convinced O’Rourke won’t get into the race.

West said O’Rourke “assured” him this year that he would not be a Senate candidate if he dropped out of the presidential contest.

“I’m not worried about him getting into the race,” West said.

Bell said he wrote a letter to O'Rourke in January, asking him to run for Senate.

When he didn't, Bell opted for his own candidacy against Cornyn.

“When he was in his funk, I wrote Beto and told him he should run against John Cornyn,” Bell said.

Bell added he “would have a decision to make” if O’Rourke jumped into the Senate race.

Hegar, Edwards and Tzintzún Ramirez tweeted thank you notes to O’Rourke, with Tzintzún Ramirez stating that she looked forward to getting the former congressman’s endorsement.

.@betoorourke Thank you to both you and Amy for representing Texas on the national stage with authenticity and candor. I look forward to working with you both as we continue the fight for Texas families. — MJ Hegar (@mjhegar) November 1, 2019

Thank you @BetoORourke for being a fighter on the national stage. From fighting for a real end to gun violence to defending the humanity of immigrants, your voice and perspective moved us forward.



We look forward to getting your endorsement so we can defeat John Cornyn in 2020. — Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez (@cristinafortx) November 1, 2019

Thank you @BetoORourke for inspiring so many to believe change is possible in Texas. The energy you helped inspire will result in change in 2020. Thanks for leading such an incredible journey with Texans at the forefront. — Amanda Edwards (@AmandaForTexas) November 2, 2019

O’Rourke would be a different Senate candidate in 2020, particularly in the general election. He’ll have to explain to Texans his controversial proposal for a mandatory buyback program for assault weapons and why he would strip tax-exempt status for church organizations that provide public services but are against gay marriage.

“He would be different because he’s been flushed out on a number of issues,” Angle said.

Even though O’Rourke’s entry into the Senate race would be a bombshell, Democratic leaders would welcome the competition.

“It’s not for me to say what he should do, and I don’t have a clue on what he wants to do, other than what’s been said today,” said Gilberto Hinojosa, chairman of the Texas Democratic Party. “He’s been campaigning nonstop for more than three years.”

Earlier this year, Hinojosa said there would be a strong candidate to challenge Cornyn, hinting that he preferred either O’Rourke or “one of the Castros to be in the mix.” He was talking about former San Antonio mayor and U.S. Housing Secretary Julián Castro, who’s also struggling in the Democratic presidential field, or his brother, Rep. Joaquín Castro.

“I’ve always said that having a robust primary is good for the party.”