Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Beto O'Rourke hosted the largest single-candidate political rally in the country at least since the 2016 presidential election, reported The Wall Street Journal. O'Rourke's political rally was held Saturday night at an outdoor amphitheater in Austin, Texas, with country music singer Willie Nelson and other country music performers onstage. The campaign said that more than 50,000 people had RSVP'd to attend the concert, while actual attendance was estimated at about 55,000. Representative O'Rourke, of El Paso, is in a heated U.S. Senate race with Republican incumbent Ted Cruz that has drawn national attention. In August, President Donald Trump tweeted his support for his one-time foe in the presidential primary, whom he frequently called a liar, and whose father Trump once implied was involved in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. "I will be doing a major rally for Senator Ted Cruz in October. I'm picking the biggest stadium in Texas we can find. As you know, Ted has my complete and total Endorsement. His opponent is a disaster for Texas - weak on Second Amendment, Crime, Borders, Military, and Vets!" So far, the Trump administration has made no official plans to hold a Ted Cruz rally in Texas. Several attendance benchmarks were set during the lengthy lead-up to the 2016 presidential election. Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton held the largest political rally on the evening before Election Day in Philadelphia. But Clinton's political rally featured a star-studded cast of supporters, including Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen and both Barack and Michelle Obama. ABC News reported at the time that it was Clinton's largest campaign rally, with 33,000 attendees, although local estimates placed the crowd size closer to 40,000. Donald Trump's largest rally drew about 28,000 people in Mobile, Alabama. O'Rourke joined Nelson onstage for several singing collaborations, including the country music legend's own "On the Road Again." Nelson also debuted a new Texas election-theme song, "Vote 'Em Out," and he urged the tens of thousands in attendance to follow suit on Election Day, November 6. "This is what it must have felt like to be in Chicago when Obama was getting big," said O'Rourke supporter and concert attendee Nikki Kelley, in an interview with the Dallas News.<doc-sep>Roughly 55,000 people stood crammed together at Auditorium Shores in Austin on Saturday for the Turn Out For Texas rally, watching as U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke sang "On the Road Again" with country music legend Willie Nelson, the El Paso Times reports. Attendees at the free concert, which included performances from Leon Bridges and local Austin artists like Tameca Jones, waved "Beto for Senate" signs and chanted the Democrat's name as he addressed the crowd. "Let tonight be a message to the future," O'Rourke, D-El Paso, said to cheers. "Let them know who we are, what we believe in and what we are willing to do to accomplish our goals." O'Rourke is challenging U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican who has represented Texas in the Senate since 2012. New polls show that the race is closer than ever, and Texas Democrats are counting on O'Rourke to make strides for their party, which hasn't won a statewide election in Texas since 1994. Willie Nelson debuts 'Vote 'Em Out' The crowd, which included politicians and voters alike, was boisterous all night, but reached its highest volume when Nelson debuted a new song to mark the occasion titled, "Vote 'Em Out." “If you don’t like who’s in there, vote 'em out," he sang. "That’s what election day is all about, and the biggest gun we’ve got is called the ballot box. So if you don’t like who’s in there, vote 'em out.” “My wife, Annie, and I have met and spoken with Beto, and we share his concern for the direction things are headed,” Nelson said in a statement to Rolling Stone in August. “Beto embodies what is special about Texas, an energy and an integrity that is completely genuine.” Nelson and O'Rourke previously shared the stage on the Fourth of July during the annual Willie's Picnic at Circuit of the Americas. O'Rourke is a onetime punk rocker. The pair performed Nelson’s "Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die" and "It's All Going to Pot” before performing a medley of "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" and "I'll Fly Away.” O'Rourke, not Nelson, the star of the show Tammy Moriearty and Beth Scott drove from Lubbock and said, "of course," they were excited to see Nelson — but the real draw for them was O'Rourke. "I would not have missed it for the world," Moriearty said before O'Rourke or Nelson took the stage. "We’ve been volunteers with Beto’s campaign since well before his office opened in Lubbock, and I can’t think of anything that I’m more excited to be behind." The 2016 presidential election was demoralizing for Moriearty, but she said O'Rourke's campaign has restored some of her faith in politics. "He is a shining, bright, fresh breath of air at a time when we’ve felt like we’ve been struggling and drowning," she said. "He is amazing. If I would have had to drive 9, 10, 12 hours to be here today, I would have been here." Many in the audience expressed more enthusiasm for O'Rourke than Nelson, and dozens of people waited until the crowd had thinned out for a chance to meet O'Rourke and snap a photo. "I love you so much, man," one woman called to O'Rourke as he reached across the barricade to shake her hand. "I've got to take a photo with you," said another, leaning forward with her cellphone camera ready. Madlin Mekelburg is a reporter with the USA Today Network Austin Bureau; she may be reached at 512-479-6606; mmekelburg@elpasotimes.com; @madlinbmek on Twitter.<doc-sep>Willie Nelson may have been the marquee name at the “Rally With Willie & Beto” in Austin, Texas, on Saturday, but the rock star of the night was the candidate himself, Beto O’Rourke. The onetime punk musician and Democratic Texas Senate candidate had just given a stirring speech to the nearly 60,000 people gathered at Auditorium Shores, and it was all but inevitable that Nelson would call him back out during his headlining set. “Beto, come help me do this one,” the 85-year-old country legend said from the small, uncovered stage along the Colorado River, with the skyline of downtown Austin behind him. O’Rourke, his shirt covered in sweat and his sleeves rolled up — both hallmarks of his energetic and improbable run against Republican incumbent Ted Cruz — ambled out to help sing “On the Road Again,” then stood there watching with a broad grin as Nelson played a solo on his trusty guitar Trigger. Nelson’s short, rapid-fire set leaned heavily on outlaw staples like “Whiskey River” and “Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys,” and his son Lukas Nelson delivered a furious reading of “Texas Flood.” But it was the spirited performance of Nelson’s new political anthem, “Vote ‘Em Out,” that was the night’s spry call to action, in which he sings, “The biggest gun we’ve got is called the ballot box.” For the most part, however, the Red Headed Stranger, dressed in a Beto hat and T-shirt, left the commentary to the politicians, saying simply, “All right, Beto!” in between songs. Though Nelson’s decision to play the free event, which also included Leon Bridges as a name draw, in support of the Democratic candidate had been met ahead of time with backlash from some fans, there was no hint of rancor or tension to be found Saturday. There weren’t even gates for entry, as the public was allowed to simply walk up from the street. O’Rourke’s speech emphasized the night’s air of spontaneity and inclusiveness. “We are not running against anyone or anything or any political party. We are running for one another and for this country that we love so much,” O’Rourke said, to hearty cheers from the audience. “This is a campaign for the future, because the people of the future — our kids and our grandkids — are depending on what we do at this moment. Let tonight be a message to the future. Let them know who we are, what we believe in, and what we’re willing to do to accomplish our goals.” The goals O’Rourke laid out were certainly lofty ones, particularly in a state that traditionally votes as red as the Lone Star State. Universal health care, global warming, the legalization of marijuana, and women’s reproductive rights were all key points that he touched upon in his 15-minute speech, through which his recurring message was that Texas, as “the front door to the rest of the world,” “can lead the way.” “This is a campaign of people, all people, and I don’t care about the differences between us. If you’re a Republican, you’re in the right place. If you’re a Democrat, you’re in the right place. If you’re an independent, you’re in the right place,” he said. “Whoever you pray to, whether you pray at all, whoever you love, however many generations you’ve been in this country or whether you just got here yesterday, we’re all in the same boat, we’re all human beings, and we’re going to start treating one another that way.” Many of O’Rourke’s sentiments were echoed throughout the night, starting with Austin mayor Steve Adler’s opening remarks, where he touted the city as a sanctuary to immigrants and LGBTQ rights, as well as its $15-an-hour minimum wage and paid sick leave. Adler seized on what he referred to as the “crazy week” just past, voicing his support for survivors of sexual assault, a reference to the Senate hearings over Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Whether such opinions will be shared by voters outside the liberal mecca of its capitol is another matter, but Carrie Rodriguez, one of the artists performing on the bill, believes they should be. “Beto is this white guy with a Spanish nickname who speaks fluent Spanish. To me, that’s who we are in Texas. We’re at our best when cultures come together to create new cultural identities, and Beto really represents that,” Rodriguez told Rolling Stone Country. “His growing up on the border in a bicultural community [in El Paso] gives him this perspective in knowing what our needs are as a state.” Jeff Gage Rodriguez, a singer from Austin whose mother is Chicana, delivered a bilingual set early in the night that got the crowd moving for the first time with her sawing fiddle solos. Joe Ely preceded her, opening the musical portion of the rally with its strongest political statement, his 2009 song with the Flatlanders “Borderless Love.” Though many fans didn’t seem to recognize it, they cheered when Ely reached the line, “There’s no need for a wall.” “It feels like a necessary thing. It’s not just another show, it’s a necessary gathering of like minds,” Ely said to Rolling Stone Country. He says his “optimism has gone straight up for Beto” during the campaign. “I think Ted Cruz is a little afraid of what’s going on now. His message is a little far-fetched, it’s like he’s not in this century. He’s in a different time zone.” Cruz was referenced by various speakers throughout the night, including by local representative Lloyd Doggett, who quipped, “He’s been to 99 counties and they’re all in Iowa.” The fact that O’Rourke has visited all 254 counties in Texas was cited several times as a sign of his commitment to the job, and no doubt a motivating factor in the choice to have him join Nelson specifically for “On the Road Again.” O’Rourke capped off his speech by pointing attendees toward the dozens of volunteers on hand to help them register to vote, as well as encouraging them to sign up as canvassers. When asked how many had already registered, cheers came from the crowd. Then, when asked who was still planning to register, it fell silent. The question mark — with only three weeks to go until early voting begins — is how many of those who showed up to hear Nelson sing will actually show up to the polls.<doc-sep>
Thirty-eight days out from Election Day, Beto O'Rourke's improbable Democratic campaign for the U.S. Senate reached a crescendo Saturday night as O'Rourke pleaded with a vast throng of more than 50,000 supporters at Auditorium Shores to "send a message to the future" by registering to vote by Oct. 9, marking Oct. 22, the first day of early voting, on their calendars, and knocking on their neighbors' doors "at this deeply divided, highly polarized moment." "Good to see all of you, even those of you I cannot see," O'Rourke said as he took the stage. "We are not running against anything or anyone or any political party. We are running for each other and for this country that we love so much." "This is a campaign for the future, because the people of the future, our kids and our grand-kids, are depending on what we do at this moment," O'Rourke said. "Let tonight be a message to the future. Let them know who we are, what we believe in and what we are willing to do to accomplish our goals. Let them know that we believe in this country. Let them know that we believe that we can come together and do great things for this country. And let them know that we believe that Texas can lead the way." On issues from climate change to health care to immigration to drug policy to racial justice and gay rights, O'Rourke asked his audience to imagine their state leading the way. O'Rourke was followed to the stage by Willie Nelson and his band, joining them in singing, "On the Road Again." Nelson closed out the night with a newly-penned song, "Vote 'Em Out": "The biggest gun we’ve got is called the ballot box/ If you don’t like who’s in there, vote ‘em out." Far from the stage, couple Frances Callan and Ralph Curton, who had driven from Waco for the event, applauded O'Rourke. It was a new experience for Curton. “I’ve been a Republican my whole life,” said Curton, 77, a former Texas chairman of the telephone campaign to elect Richard Nixon. “He’s different,” Curton said. “He’s authentic. He doesn’t have a hidden agenda. He’s not politics as usual, and I’ve seen a lot of politics as usual.” Callan has long supported Democrats, but she also said her level of support for O’Rourke is different than for candidates in previous elections. It was the second O'Rourke rally Callan attended, and she also phone banks for his campaign. “It really feels like (O’Rourke) is going the extra mile in this race, so it’s easy for me to go the extra mile for him,” she said. Austin resident Maura Goetzel, 18, said she felt like she could relate to O’Rourke because of his youth and energy. “Even growing up in Austin, I’ve never seen this place be this excited about a candidate,” Goetzel said. “It’s nice to feel like we’re part of something with people that feel the same energy.” Mana Salazar, 53, is an Austin resident who had never attended a rally for a political candidate, but said she was amazed with the number of people on the Auditorium Shores lawn, which the campaign said was attended by about 55,000 people, citing an estimate from the venue. "Just the diversity of all these people is amazing,” Salazar said. “For this guy to come in and grab the hearts of this many people speaks to something bigger.” Just before the rally, O’Rourke promised to serve a full six-year term and no more than two terms if he is elected to the U.S. Senate, in the closing keynote of the Texas Tribune Festival at the Long Center. In an interview before an adoring capacity crowd, O’Rourke also promised to stay positive in his bid to unseat U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, despite what he said were Cruz’s repeated efforts to distort his positions on issues from drug policy to the unequal application of justice in America. And, in a new development regarding a drunken driving arrest 20 years ago this week on the night of his 26th birthday near El Paso, O’Rourke said he had been in contact with the passenger in his car that night who corroborated his assertion, at his debate with Cruz a week ago Friday, that he had not tried to flee the scene of the accident, as asserted by a witness cited in the police report.