Who is Beto O'Rourke? Former Democrat representative interrupts Texas Gov. Greg Abbott during press conference about school schooting

During a press conference on Wednesday, Beto O'Rourke questioned Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott about a deadly school massacre in Uvalde that killed 19 children and two instructors.

During the 2020 Democratic presidential race, the former congressman used his platform to campaign for tighter gun control measures, including a mandatory assault weapon buyback program.

An August 2019 racial massacre at a Walmart shop in El Paso heightened his focus on the subject.

However, he was unapologetic about the attitude at a Democratic debate the following month, which prompted a rapid response from Republicans and would have gone further than most of his opponent's primary candidates' policies.

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What did Beto O'Rourke say to Texas Governor Greg Abbott?

O'Rourke approached the news conference table, which various government officials, including Abbott, occupied.

Speakers at the press conference can be heard asking the Democratic gubernatorial candidate to "sit down" and that he is "out of line."At one point, the official referred to O'Rourke as "an embarrassment."

As O'Rourke gets closer to the podium, security directs him away from the table. However, some of O'Rourke's remarks to the speakers are incomprehensible.

O'Rourke said:

"Gov. Abbott, I have to say something, the time to stop the next shooting is right now and you are doing nothing, you said this is not predictable. This is totally predictable,"

Despite multiple horrific shootings in Texas, right-wing Abbott has presided over a loosening of gun controls.

Observers at the news briefing had various reactions. As O'Rourke was leaving, one audience member shouted, "Go home," while another chanted, "Let him talk!" Allow him to talk!"

Abbott stayed silent during the audience's comments and O'Rourke's interruption before speaking to the audience, saying :

“There are family members … there are family members who are crying as we speak. There are family members whose hearts are broken.There’s no words that anybody shouting, that come up here, can do anything.”

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What is known about Beto O'Rourke?

Beto O'Rourke is a fourth-generation Texan who grew up in El Paso and has worked as a small company owner, city council member, and member of Congress.

He started and presently runs Powered by People, a Texas-based organization that uses voter registration and direct voter engagement to strengthen democracy and produce Democratic victories.

Beto O'Rourke is a Democratic Party candidate for the post of the Governor of Texas. On November 8, 2022, he will be on the general election ballot. On March 1, 2022, he advanced from the Democratic primary.

In a video released on Twitter on November 15, 2021, O'Rourke launched his campaign for the post of the Governor of Texas. Since his unsuccessful Senate campaign in 2018, O'Rourke has run three times.

O'Rourke ran for President of the United States as a Democrat in 2020. On March 14, 2019, he announced his candidacy. O'Rourke announced the termination of his presidential campaign on November 1, 2019. From 2013 to 2019, O'Rourke served in the United States House of Representatives, representing Texas' 16th Congressional District.

However, O'Rourke ran for the United States Senate in Texas as a Democrat in 2018. Senator Ted Cruz (R) defeated O'Rourke by three percentage points in the general election.

Beto is married to Amy O'Rourke, and the two are raising their three children in El Paso's historic Sunset Heights neighborhood.