WASHINGTON — Beto O’Rourke will announce on Thursday that he is running for president in 2020, according to El Paso TV station KTSM-TV.
O’Rourke, the former Texas congressman who came close to defeating Ted Cruz in last year’s Senate race, confirmed his plans in a text message to the station.
Speculation about his announcement has been rampant since Vanity Fair posted an image of him on the cover of its April issue.
“I’m really proud of what El Paso did and what El Paso represents,” O’Rourke said in the text to KTSM. “It’s a big part of why I’m running. This city is the best example of this country at its best.”
He already had planned a visit to Iowa this weekend, including a campaign event with Eric Giddens, who is running for state Senate in a special election. O’Rourke appeared at the South By Southwest festival last weekend for a screening of the documentary “Running with Beto,” but dodged answering whether he planned to run or when he would announce.
O’Rourke enters the race with the presumed ability to raise huge sums online from small donors, as he did during his Senate run. He also drew heavy interest from showbiz figures during the race and endorsements from figures such as Willie Nelson and Beyoncé, as well as Ellen DeGeneres, who invited him on her show.