As the crowd listened intently, Beto O’Rourke poured out words full of passion to hundreds of Penn State students, faculty, staff, State College residents and travelers from afar.

The Democratic presidential candidate conducted a meet and greet from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 19 in the HUB-Robeson Center.

O’Rourke, 46, met and spoke with attendees about the “largest grassroots effort this country has ever seen” as a presidential hopeful. He spoke about topics such as stricter gun control laws, immigration reform, climate change and universal healthcare, citing the activism of the youth today in creating awareness to different issues.

“I come out of profound respect hoping to get the best ideas, find out what’s most exciting and what gives folks the greatest cause for concern,” O’Rourke said. “[I want to figure out how we can] build a coalition, the community, the movement, not just to win but to enact the change that we all want to see — that’s what brought me to Penn State today.”

While the candidate officially announced his run for the Democratic nomination on March 14, many suspected him to run after he lost a 2018 Senate race to Republican incumbent Ted Cruz. Previously, O’Rourke served three terms as a representative of Texas’s 16th congressional district.

O’Rourke raised over $6.1 million in the first 24 hours of his announced candidacy, according to The New York Times, just beating Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders’ first-day $5.9 million. O’Rourke said he will not accept any money from political action committees, or PACs, just as he vowed in his Senate race.

When one crowd member confronted him about his campaign fundraising, as well as his stance of numerous issues not outlined on his website, O’Rourke responded with care.

“We will release the average and the number of donors,” O’Rourke said. “In every single policy area, I’m trying to describe not just the goal and the aspiration, but the path that we will take to get there.”

Katierose Epstein, president of the College Democrats, said her organization orchestrated the room assignments for O’Rourke’s event, but has not endorsed him or any other Democratic candidate yet.

“We do not endorse any Democratic candidates in any primary elections,” Epstein said. “But we are very excited [O’Rourke is coming to Penn State] and we hope that many other candidates [will visit as well].”

The Penn State College Republicans provided comment prior to the candidate’s visit to the university.

“Former Congressman Robert O’Rourke’s visit to Penn State is an exceptional opportunity for the political discourse on our campus and for students to see one of the many, many candidates who will be running for the Democratic nomination for president," Riley Compton said in a statement. "We look forward to the former congressman shedding some light on where he stands on the actual issues facing America, outside of his support of abortion until the day of birth and outlawing cars through the Green New Deal. O’Rourke’s visit highlights how important the Keystone State is in national politics and a strong showing in our primary could put in him the driver’s seat for their nomination.”

Heritage Hall, with a capacity of 500, was full for the entirety of O’Rourke’s question and answer portion of the event. Killian Radel, 13, of Brookfield, Pennsylvania, had his own shrine candle of the candidate, which O’Rourke later signed.

A young @BetoORourke fan poses with his special shrine candle in Heritage Hall pic.twitter.com/XecPj0WYTX — Erin Hogge (@erin_hogge) March 19, 2019

UPDATE: Killian Radel, 13, of Brookfield, Pennsylvania gets his @BetoORourke shrine candle signed by the man himself pic.twitter.com/d3cohaYcmF — Erin Hogge (@erin_hogge) March 19, 2019

The crowd filled the HUB’s first floor around the new staircase, as well as the upper decks overlooking the opening where O’Rourke made his way out of the building after his event.

In case you were wondering if people would show up to @BetoORourke’s event: pic.twitter.com/LtX9jcvITL — Erin Hogge (@erin_hogge) March 19, 2019

The first of all the 2020 presidential election candidates to visit Penn State, meet and greet attendees had mixed reactions when it came to hearing what O’Rourke had to say about his campaign and the future of the country.

Josh Weismann, communications chair of the College Democrats, said it is important for presidential candidates to visit college campuses.

“Penn State offers an opportunity for any candidate to come here and speak on the issues for us because we’re going to bare the brunt of college tuition…[and other issues] our generation’s going to face,” Weismann (junior-risk management) said. “Penn State offers an amazing opportunity to come here and speak with college students and people from all different communities.”

Riley Kane said the event was “inspiring” because of O’Rourke’s demeanor.

“It was nice to hear his opinions,” Kane (freshman-division of undergraduate studies) said. “It’s good that he’s out on the trail early and showing that he’s in support of younger people.”

One attendee was pointed out by O’Rourke for holding the flag of El Paso, Texas — O’Rourke’s hometown.

“I’m a strong supporter of him for what he did for our El Paso community in his time as a representative,” Dustin Schirmer (junior-law) said. “He does the job looking [out] for the community. If the community is America, you bet he’s going to be looking out for America.”

At the conclusion of the event, O’Rourke led a “We Are” chant near the university seal in the HUB and left attendees with words of return.

After his meet and greet event, @BetoORourke around to meet with people at the HUB, first leading a “We Are” chant (@penn_state) pic.twitter.com/9YUlhbVdcc — Erin Hogge (@erin_hogge) March 19, 2019

“I will never, ever, ever forget being here,” O’Rourke said. “I will come back here — this is where the energy is, this is where the leadership is.”

O’Rourke left the HUB after his meet and greet event for his first visit to New Hampshire, where he will conduct another event at the Keene State College Student Center on Tuesday night.

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