Beto O'Rourke is running for governor of Texas. The illustrations and photos are from Huffington Post.
Republican Greg Abbott held on to the Texas governorship, maintaining the GOP's control of the country's second- largest state and shattering Democratic hopes that Texans' desire for change could boost the party's prospects
Beto O'Rourke, a former congressman who promised to reverse the governor's near-total abortion ban and push for gun reform legislation, is projected to lose to Abbott.
The incumbent governor staged disputes with Democrats through stunts like sending "migrant caravans" to Northeastern states. Abbott presented himself as responsible for economic growth in Texas.
He raised tens of millions of dollars for his campaign. But Abbott, a long time former Texas attorney general, also drew major donations, while casting O'Rourke's success as a reflection of his dependence on liberals outside the state. For most of the race, O'Rourke was behind.
Abbott can continue to advance policies targeting women and sexual minorities if he is given a third term. He will gain national attention and influence within the Republican Party if he runs for president.
Democrats will need to analyze why they haven't been able to rally Hispanic voters, suburbanites and Texans alarmed by the rightward shift of the GOP Even with a candidate widely seen as Texas' best known Democrat, their current approach failed.
There is a question of what the 50-year-old will do next after losing the election. He could try to run for president or senator with his popularity. He may leave politics altogether.
The article was first published on HuffPost.
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