Beto O’Rourke was hospitalized over the weekend and was forced to postpone a handful of campaign events in his bid to unseat Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
What happened: The Democrat and former congressman who is vying for Abbott’s seat announced on Twitter that he was diagnosed with a bacterial infection “after feeling ill on Friday” and checking into Methodist Hospital in San Antonio.
- “The extraordinary team there — from custodians to nurses and doctors — gave me excellent care and attention, including IV antibiotics and rest,” he said.
- “While my symptoms have improved, I will be resting at home in El Paso in accordance with the doctors’ recommendations,” O’Rourke continued. “I am sorry to have had to postpone events because of this, but promise to be back on the road with you as soon as I am able.”
The Caller Times reported that O’Rourke’s campaign postponed weekend stops in the Corpus Christi area. A spokesperson for the campaign said O’Rourke does not have COVID-19, but didn’t give further information about the illness.
Why it matters: Texas hasn’t had a Democrat win the governorship since 1990, and O’Rourke has waged an uphill battle against Abbott, a Republican. To unseat Abbott, O’Rourke will need to win support from moderate Republicans and independent voters.
But a Dallas Morning News poll earlier this month shows O’Rourke’s favorability numbers are underwater among Republicans and independents. Abbott leads O’Rourke by seven points in the general election field, although around a third of independents say they prefer the Democrat.