Beto O'Rourke addresses Texas Democrats at convention in Dallas
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke rallied Texas Democrats at their state party convention Friday night in Dallas.
He told delegates, "Imagine a Governor who instead of attacking teachers, supports them, pays them enough so they don't have to work a 2nd or 3rd job, just to make ends meet. Imagine a Governor who will fix the grid by winterizing and weatherizing it. By connecting ERCOT to the national grid, by investing in energy efficiency and lowering your utility bills."
Earlier in the day, O'Rourke greeted supporters at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center and spoke about his campaign's priorities.
"We're focused on jobs and economic growth, reducing inflation, supporting public school educators, and expanding medicaid so everyone can see a doctor," O'Rourke said.
During the convention, Democrats also emphasized they're fighting to protect voting rights, a woman's right to choose, and improve the reliability of the Texas power grid.
In an interview with CBS 11, Mike Collier, nominee for Lt. Governor said, "I'm worried about the grid. We need to fix the damn grid and folks are concerned about public schools, property taxes are exploding. We have this crisis in Uvalde, which sines a very bright light on what we need to do which is to make sure our students and teachers are safe."
Rochelle Garza, nominee for Attorney General told CBS 11, "It does start with access to reproductive healthcare to control your own body because that is a top issue. Access to health care, making sure people have access to the ballot box including protecting workers and workers' rights, that all matters."
The convention comes as O'Rourke announced his campaign raised a record amount - nearly $28 million between February 20 and June 30 this year.
That's more than Governor Greg Abbott, whose campaign announced he raised nearly $25 million during the same time.
Abbott's campaign said it has nearly $46 million in its account.
O'Rourke also announced 78,000 volunteers knocked on more than 100,000 doors last month alone.
"It is already far exceeded everything that we did in 2018, and in 2018, we had an amazing, amazing field team," O'Rourke said.
But political analysts say challenges remain for Democrats in the mid-terms including President Biden's low approval ratings.
Recent polls show gas prices and inflation are voters' top concerns.
A CBS News-You Gov poll conducted for CBSDFW last month showed Abbott leading O'Rourke by an 8% margin, 49-41% among likely voters.
Other recent polls show Abbott leads by only five or six percentage points.
As many as 12,000 delegates attended the Dallas convention.
They are committed to voting for O'Rourke and all of the other Democratic candidates.
We asked O'Rourke how he would attract independents and the undecided.
"It means we go to where the voters are and it doesn't matter how red or blue their county supposedly is," O'Rourke said. "You're going to see us in Waxahachie. You're going to see us in Grayson County, you're going to see us in Bonham. You're going to see us in Collin and Denton County, two counties rapidly turning blue but not quickly enough if we don't show up."
Pretta Vandible Stallworth, a delegate, said connecting with voters is key.
"It is difficult for people to really understand unless you have that face-to-face conversation," she said.
A conversation she and other delegates vow to have many times before election day.
