El Paso Times: Beto O'Rourke's liberal credentials questioned as he eyes 2020

[TexasTowelie]

AUSTIN, Texas — During this year's Texas Senate race, some home-state Democrats grumbled that Beto O'Rourke wasn't softening his liberal positions enough to finish a near-upset of Ted Cruz.

Now, as the outgoing congressman mulls a 2020 White House run, a small but vocal segment of activists is suggesting he's not liberal enough, arguing he's more about feel-good flash than commitment to values that will excite the party's base.

O'Rourke has long rejected the "progressive" label but also bristles at being called a centrist. He may not be able to steer clear of an ideological lane forever, though, should he commit to entering the potentially packed Democratic presidential primary field.

At issue even as he's still making up his mind are complaints from some liberals that O'Rourke racked up sizable donations from oil industry executives while challenging Cruz, refrained from endorsing federally subsidized debt-free college proposals and shied away from some versions of "Medicare-for-all" health care plans, an idea championed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, another possible early favorite in the 2020 race.

Read more: https://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/2018/12/19/while-some-thought-him-too-left-others-say-beto-orourke-isnt-liberal-enough/2370486002/

[pnwmom]

1. Whenever I see anyone recycle the LIE that O'Rourke has "racked up

sizable donations from oil industry executives,"

I'll know not to take seriously anything else they say.

[grantcart]

3. +1

[NewJeffCT]

8. agree 100% on that

Big difference between Amy the Accountant in the corporate office of ExxonMobil or Eddie the IT guy at Chevron donating $25 each to Beto versus Darren Woods, the CEO of ExxonMobil, forming a SuperPAC that donates $5 million to a candidate.

Same thing happened with Cory Booker - when he ran for Senate in (I think) 2014, 11% of his money came from PACs, but if you actually looked at the PACs that donated to Booker, they were primarily the Legal Industry and the Entertainment Industry, two reliably Democratic constituencies. The Pharma donations decried in the formerly Kushner run NY Observer (and then spread online) were individual donations because there are nearly half a million people in the pharma or pharma-related industries in NJ, NY, CT and eastern PA.

[murielm99]

2. Some people say...

some liberals say....

[mcar]

4. ...

[spanone]

5. 'a small but vocal segment of activists is suggesting he's not liberal enough'

Bwahahahahahaaaaa

[ProfessorGAC]

6. One, Two, Three, Four. . .

. . .well to be fair, i am up to four vocal activists! Out of a couple hundred million non-rebubs. Might be something!

[spanone]

7. 👍🏼

[Bradical79]

9. I don't like the oil industry

But seems to me it would be impossible to run for state office in Texas, and not have private donations from some in the oil industry. If it were PACs I'd be more concerned, since that's where the big money is spent.

[pnwmom]

10. Exactly. Just like it would be impossible for Hillary to run from NY

and not have individual donations from people employed by banks.

When they report donations by industry, they should be careful every time to make clear they are talking about many individual donations, added together.