Will black SC college students show up for Beto O’Rourke in 2020?
Minutes before Beto O’Rourke stepped into a cramped classroom on the campus of Columbia’s historically black Benedict College, students were asked whether they knew the gentleman scheduled to speak to them Tuesday afternoon.
O’Rourke’s name was on stickers everywhere, even on T-shirts, but the overwhelming response was “no” —with a few exceptions.
But after students listened to the former Texas congressman answer questions for about 40 minutes, several students — those who didn’t know the 2020 presidential hopeful — said they are inclined to think about his candidacy over others.
“I feel like I may support him,” said sophomore Ryane Jackson, 19, who is registered to vote in her home state of Illinois but said she plans to register in South Carolina before the February primary. “But I feel like I need to do more research on the topic.”
Added sophomore Tiffany Horton, 19, a registered S.C. voter: “I think my decision would be Beto in comparison to Bernie (Sanders).”
She compared O’Rourke with Sanders, the Vermont senator who recently visited Allen University, another historically black college located next door.
Young voter strategy
O’Rourke’s 2020 campaign strategy to tap into young voters — a small percentage of those who actually vote, but have seen steady increases since the 2018 midterms — is similar to the approach he took during his unsuccessful U.S. Senate campaign against incumbent U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.
In Texas last year, nearly 1.1 million voters between the ages 18 and 29 cast ballots in the November midterms.
That was 235% more than compared with the state’s 2014 midterms, The Associated Press reported.
“My own team said, ‘Do not show up for young people, they do not vote,’“ O’Rourke said of his Senate race. “I said to my team, ‘I would not vote either if no one showed up at my college and my institution and listened to me and included me .... ‘“
Speaking to reporters after meeting with the students, O’Rourke said he thought the students “certainly connected” with him.
“You’d have to ask them about my impact on them, but they certainly made an impact on me, and that’s something that will stay with me, as well as some of the ideas and suggestions that were shared,” he said.
Seeing presidential candidates up close and personal makes a big difference, students told The State.
“Instead of just watching it on television, it’s like I feel more of a connection,” said junior Janeane Taylor, 19, who said she is deciding between O’Rourke and Sanders.
“You feel more of their aura. It’s better when they’re present and they’re in your face and actually talking and (you’re) actually listening to their plans and ideas. Seems more legit to me.”
This story was originally published August 27, 2019 at 7:46 PM.
