O’Rourke then doubled down on his gun confiscation plans, even going as far as to talk about police-enforced, door-to-door gun grabs. Later, O’Rourke attempted to walk things back when asked about the use of AR-15s for hunting purposes.
However, after running out of campaign funds, O’Rourke took to social media and announced the end of his presidential campaign.
In O’Rourke’s own words:
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.
— Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) November 1, 2019
The former 2020 candidate then continued his statements by vowing that the Democrat Party will defeat President Trump next year.
We will work to ensure that the Democratic nominee is successful in defeating Donald Trump in 2020. 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.
— Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) November 1, 2019
Reactions to O’Rourke’s Departure from the 2020 Race
In light of the manner in which O’Rourke ran his campaign, his departure prompted a variety of reactions. Many conservatives poked fun at O’Rourke, noting that his anti-gun rhetoric ultimately engendered his own political demise.
