Beto O’Rourke - Texas's 16th congressional district for three terms in the United States House of Representatives also a Businessman

Last updated on February 8th, 2019 at 01:32 pm

Beto O’Rourke is an American politician as well as a businessman. Since 2013, he is serving as the U.S. Representative for the 16th congressional district of Texas.

The Early life of Beto O’Rourke

Beto O’Rourke was born on September 26, 1972, in El Paso, Texas at Hotel Dieu Hospital. He was given the nickname ‘Beto’ by his family. His father Pat Francis O’Rourke was a County Commissioner and later he became a County Judge. His mother Melissa Martha O’Rourke nee Williams used to run a high-end furniture store. He was raised in Kern Place.

O’Rourke started schooling at Escuela Montessori Del Valle preschool. Later he went to Rivera Elementary School and then to Mesita Elementary School. He went to Woodberry Forest School after spending two years at El Paso High School in 1988. In the Capitol Hill Office of U.S. Congressman Ron Coleman, he was a summer congressional intern in 1991 in between graduating high school and starting college. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature from Columbian University, in 1995.

The career of Beto O’Rourke

Beto O’Rourke volunteered for the campaigns of several local politicians as an adult. Running on a platform of downtown development and border reform, he ran for the El Paso City Council in mid-2005. He used to accompany his father to meet and greet people at campaign stops and other political events. O’Rourke defeated Anthony Cobos by 57 to 43 percent. Also, he was the two-term incumbent City Councilman.

After Raymond Caballero failed to get re-elected, he considered entering public service along with Susie Byrd, attorney Steve Ortega, and former Caballero staffer Veronica Escobar. And then they started to discuss urban planning, creating a more diversified economy with more skilled jobs, and ending corruption among city leadership.

His friends told him to run for city council but he himself had considered running for county judge. To represent Texas’s 16th congressional district, In 2012 he filed for the Democratic primary against the eight-term Silvestre Reyes. He donated the minimum of $28000 from his own campaign funds during his bid for re-election in the fall of 2014 to fellow Democratic candidates for House seats.

Beto O’Rourke’s Campaign

In 2014, he was re-elected with 67 percent of the vote. He supported Hillary Clinton in June 2016. He was one of the last Democratic congressmen to support her. Also, he sponsored the American Families United Act, along with Steve Pearce of New Mexico and Eric Swalwell of California. It promoted the idea that for legal immigration, US citizens have the right to sponsor their spouses. He announced that he would be a candidate for the US Senate seat held by Republican Party member Ted Cruz on March 31, 2017. Winning 61.8 percent of the primary vote, he became the Democratic Party nominee in March 2018.

In the Personal life of Beto O’Rourke

Beto O’Rourke got married to Amy Hoover Sanders on September 4, 2005. She is the daughter of Louann and William Sanders. O’Rourke and Sanders got married at Amy’s parents’ ranch in Lamy, New Mexico. The couple lives in El Paso’s Sunset Heights area with their 3 children. They are blessed with two sons Ulysses, Henry and a daughter Molly.

Beto O’Rourke’s Net worth

Beto O’Rourke’s net worth is estimated to be more than $9 million. Since he is a businessman as well as state representative his exact earning is under review. Though as a United States Representative his salary from the government is $174,000 per annum. But besides it, he has also investments in Real Estate. He is also considered as the fifty-second wealthiest member of the house.

Facts about Beto O’Rourke

• Beto O’Rourke is a 4th generation Irish American.
• As a teenager, he loved punk music.
• O’Rourke is also a member of the Roman Catholic Church.
• He loves Aisling and Arlo and Sleepercar bands.