Beto O'Rourke Drops out of 2020 Race After Campaign Fails to Build Momentum

Former Texas congressman Beto O'Rourke looks on during a break at the Democratic Presidential Debate at Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio, on Oct. 15, 2019. Win McNamee/Getty Images

Beto O'Rourke, the former Texas congressman, has dropped out of the 2020 presidential race, according to a series of tweets on Friday.

“Our campaign has always been about seeing clearly, speaking honestly, and acting decisively,” O’Rourke announced on Twitter. “In that spirit: I am announcing that my service to the country will not be as a candidate or as the nominee.”

Over the past several months, O’Rourke, who had challenged Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) for his seat last year, failed to build off the momentum from his Senate run.

“I am grateful to all the people who made up the heart and soul of this campaign. You were among the hundreds of thousands who made a donation, signed up to volunteer or spread the word about this campaign and our opportunity to help decide the election of our lifetime,” he said.

O’Rourke ran on a campaign that focused on issues including climate change and gun control. Following, the mass shooting at an El Paso Walmart earlier this year, he said that certain rifles will be taken away.

“Hell yes, we’re going to take your AR-15, your AK-47,” he said in September during a debate.“We’re not going to allow it to be used against our fellow Americans anymore.”

On Twitter, O'Rourke announced he would support a Democratic nominee to take on President Donald Trump.

“I can tell you firsthand from having the chance to know the candidates, we will be well served by any one of them, and I’m going to be proud to support whoever she or he is,” he wrote.

In early October, his campaign announced he raised $4.5 million for the third quarter, making him ninth among Democratic candidates, CNN reported at the time.

That put him behind Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), who raised $6 million and $4.8 million, respectively.