He did astoundingly well for a Texas Democrat. He’s already got a national profile. He’s proved he can raise a ton of money without indebting himself to corporations. His Uplifting Articulate Guy persona presents a clear alternative to Trumpism without coming across as scolding or patronizing. While he lost his Senate race, he has experience in Congress, but not so much experience that past votes will haunt him. He’s shown a rare willingness to answer tough questions. And as the clip above indicates, he has the charisma to make a live-TV F-word somehow come across as endearing and wholesome. Beto 2020—why not?

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