Beto O'Rourke’s appeal hits a responsive core: Doug Schoen
Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke raised more than $6 million in online contributions after the first 24 hours after of announcing his White House bid, the campaign announced Monday.
The former Texas Congressman, who lost a Senate race to Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, beat expectations, surpassing every 2020 presidential candidate who has released their fundraising figures so far.
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders (I) raised $5.9 million in the first 24 hours after announcing his second presidential run, while California Senator Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) raised $1.5 million.
Former Clinton pollster and Fox News Contributor Doug Schoen reacted to O’Rourke’s fundraising numbers on FOX Business’ “After The Bell.”
“[Beto’s] anti-systemic, vaguely populist, vaguely centrist appeal hits a responsive core,” Schoen said on Monday. “The real question is whether it will as responsive a core as necessary when he is not running against Ted Cruz.”
Schoen expressed doubt that former Vice President Joe Biden, who is widely expected to enter the 2020 race, would succeed in a primary election.
“I don’t think this is the year for a 78-year-old white male who is more of a centrist than a progressive,” he said. “I think [a primary election] is going to be very tough.”
An Emerson College poll released Monday, however, showed Biden with a 54 percent to 46 percent lead over President Trump in Wisconsin.
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Schoen suggested a Biden-Harris ticket would put the Democrats in the strongest position of recapturing the White House in 2020, but doubted such a ticket would take shape.
“I think it will be fratricidal, I think Biden’s best day will be the day he announces, and if I had to bet, I’d bet on a Beto O’Rourke or Kamala Harris , even a Bernie Sanders – I’d make them favorites over a Joe Biden.”