Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas) says he’ll make a decision about running for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020 by the end of February.

In a Tuesday interview with Oprah Winfrey, clips of which were obtained by several news outlets, O’Rourke said he’s been "thinking" about running for the White House, but added that his decision will hinge on what's best for his family.

“The serious answer is really soon, before the end of this month," O’Rourke reportedly said during an appearance on “Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations from Times Square.”

ADVERTISEMENT

"I have been thinking about running for president,” the former congressman added, according to The Texas Tribune. "I want to make sure that we’re all good with this. ... For me, it will really be family.”

O'Rourke has been mostly silent about his considerations for the White House. And in a recent Politico story, he said that a decision about 2020 could still be months away.

His appearance with Winfrey, who has a massive following and has generated her own White House buzz, gives him a national platform to reintroduce himself as he remains relatively quiet unlike other potential White House hopefuls.

O’Rourke became a household name in Democratic politics when he came within a few points of defeating GOP Sen. Ted Cruz Rafael (Ted) Edward CruzThe Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Washington on edge amid SCOTUS vacancy Murkowski: Supreme Court nominee should not be taken up before election Battle lines drawn on precedent in Supreme Court fight MORE in deep-red Texas last year. After his 2018 Senate campaign, he was quickly floated as a 2020 contender with the hopes of converting the energy surrounding his Senate bid into a White House run.

But the former congressman has frustrated some Democrats with his silence on a presidential run, fading from the conversation as more candidates jump into the 2020 race. He’s embarked on a solo tour, shying away from early primary states.

ADVERTISEMENT

Still, even as he mostly stays on the sidelines, allies have been defending his decision to take his time and arguing that it underscores his persona as a political outsider. Groups like Draft Beto has been building an infrastructure and raising money behind the scenes, with the hopes of handing off their operation to the official campaign—should he run.

If he decides to run, O’Rourke will enter a growing field of Democrats that already includes Sens. Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth WarrenJudd Gregg: The Kamala threat — the Californiaization of America GOP set to release controversial Biden report Biden's fiscal program: What is the likely market impact? MORE (D-Mass.), Kamala Harris Kamala HarrisJoe Biden looks to expand election battleground into Trump country Fox's Napolitano: Supreme Court confirmation hearings will be 'World War III of political battles' Rush Limbaugh encourages Senate to skip hearings for Trump's SCOTUS nominee MORE (D-Calif.), Cory Booker Cory Anthony BookerBipartisan praise pours in after Ginsburg's death DHS opens probe into allegations at Georgia ICE facility Democratic lawmakers call for an investigation into allegations of medical neglect at Georgia ICE facility MORE (D-N.J.) and Kirsten Gillibrand Kirsten GillibrandSunday shows preview: Justice Ginsburg dies, sparking partisan battle over vacancy before election Suburban moms are going to decide the 2020 election Jon Stewart urges Congress to help veterans exposed to burn pits MORE (D-N.Y.).

Those candidates have already made numerous trips to early caucus and primary states like Iowa and New Hampshire. And they’ve scooped up talent—many who are alumni of past Democratic presidential campaigns—to work with them.

The early announcements also give them an early advantage with tapping individual donors for money. Plus, many of the announced senators have stockpiled millions of dollars in their Senate accounts that they can use for their presidential campaigns.

But O’Rourke, who raised close to $80 million in his Senate campaign, will likely have few issues when it comes to fundraising. His record haul was powered by small-dollar donors that have also buoyed Trump. But since he spent nearly all of it on his 2018 campaign, he has only $286,000 left to use for a future campaign.