Beto O'Rourke
Robert (Beto) Francis O'RourkeO'Rourke shows up at SXSW for premiere of 'Running with Beto' film Hickenlooper swipes at Trump in campaign launch: He's 'destroying our democracy' Latino Victory president to step down MORE showed up at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Texas on Saturday for the premiere of a documentary about his 2018 Senate campaign.
The former congressman and potential 2020 Democratic presidential candidate spoke to a crowd in Austin at the premiere of HBO's "Running with Beto," praising the filmmakers for including scenes about other candidates in Texas.
“There are so many candidacies, so many leaders,” he said. “We got to be part of this amazing thing in Texas over the last two years, and it continues.”
O'Rourke was also expected to participate in a panel discussion after the film's showing, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Massive standing ovation for Beto O’Rourke & his family following the premiere of #RunningWithBeto. Rowdy, passionate & super emotional screening of a doc that above all else proves it’s not about the size of the dog in the fight, it’s about the size of the fight in the dog#SXSW pic.twitter.com/Se7wnPNE8P
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) March 9, 2019
Beto is asked what we can do now, and when he will announce his run for President in 2020. #SXSW #RunningWithBeto pic.twitter.com/nkWhgzp5IL
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) March 9, 2019
O'Rourke is mulling a 2020 presidential run following his upstart Senate campaign last year against Sen. Ted Cruz
Rafael (Ted) Edward CruzSunday shows preview: 2020 field begins to take shape O'Rourke teases 'big announcement' amid 2020 speculation SXSW festival draws 2020 Dems to Texas MORE (R-Texas), a race O'Rourke lost by under 3 points.
The Dallas Morning News reported last week that O'Rourke is likely to jump into the White House race.
If he does enter the race, he'll be facing off against several prominent progressive and Democratic candidates including Sens. Bernie Sanders
Bernard (Bernie) SandersSanders pledges to support Democratic nominee in 2020 Biden holds slim lead over Sanders in Iowa: poll Sunday shows preview: 2020 field begins to take shape MORE (I-Vt.), Elizabeth Warren
Elizabeth Ann WarrenBiden holds slim lead over Sanders in Iowa: poll Sunday shows preview: 2020 field begins to take shape Warren struggles to gain traction amid Sanders surge MORE (D-Mass.) and Kamala Harris
Kamala Devi HarrisBiden holds slim lead over Sanders in Iowa: poll Sunday shows preview: 2020 field begins to take shape Warren struggles to gain traction amid Sanders surge MORE (D-Calif.), among others.
"Running with Beto" will come out on HBO in May. It debuted at SXSW, an annual festival of music, technology, media and other topics held in Austin.