BEAUMONT, Texas — Gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke made a stop at United Steelworkers Union Hall on 11th St. as a part of his "Drive for Texas" campaign.
This marks O'Rourke's fourth visit to the Golden Triangle since announcing his run for governor in December. As he spoke on Saturday, polls showed him closing the gap with Gov. Greg Abbott.
The United Steelworkers Union Hall was packed with supporters as O'Rourke touched on issues like women's rights, gun laws, school safety, environmental issues and more.
One big concern for people at the townhall was school safety after the Uvalde mass shooting. With the start of a new school year around the corner, O'Rourke called out Abbott for not calling a special session on school safety.
And with Beaumont being a power city, voters had concerns about the roles Southeast Texas would play in the energy revolution.
“These amazing steel workers who work at the refinery right here in Jefferson County, they've secured energy independence in this country,” said O’Rourke. “They produce some of the best jobs and the most wealth that we've ever seen in Texas. We owe them everything we can to protect their jobs, and also make sure that they have a seat at the table for the next energy revolution that we should lead right here in Texas.”
O'Rourke said in his four visits to Southeast Texas, energy and women's rights are some of the issues voters are most concerned about.
Voters like Bonnie Loiodice said they are concered about the way things are now and believe O'Rourke's campaign for governor would move things in a better direction.
"Women's rights, I'm very upset about the new war on women, which is pretty much full blown,” said Loiodice. “I'm also concerned about a lot of our money going to the border to do the job of the federal government."
O'Rourke also spoke Sunday in Port Arthur.