Beto O'Rourke on the issues, in under 500 words

Key facts:

• Age: 46
• Born: El Paso
• Undergraduate: Columbia University
• Date candidacy announced: March 14, 2019
• % of votes in line with Trump, per FiveThirtyEight: 30.1%
• Previous roles: 3-term representative for Texas' 16th district, served on El Paso City Council 2005–2011.

Stance on key issues:

• Health care: Has vacillated between endorsing single-payer and Medicare for All, opting to put stock in Medicare for America, which aims to expand "government-run health coverage while keeping employer-sponsored insurance plans," CNN reports.
• Climate change: Proposed a $5 trillion-plan to address climate change, aiming for net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
• Taxes: Has derided business tax cuts and opposed 2017's GOP tax overhaul. O’Rourke voted in favor of an oil tax in 2016 that would have taxed $10 per barrel of crude oil.
• Gun control: Called for universal background checks and limits on sale of AR-15s. Opposes requiring states to recognize concealed carry permits granted in other states.
• He also wants to hold social media liable following the shootings in El Paso and Dayton.
• Immigration: Vocal critic of Trump's border wall and said U.S. should not criminalize migrants who request asylum between ports of entry.
• Supreme Court reform: Considers having 5 justices selected by Democrats and 5 by Republicans. 5 more would be selected totaling 20. Has also considered term limits.
• College: Not on the bill for debt-free college — but supports forgiving student loan debt for public school teachers.
• Minimum wage: Supports increasing minimum wage to $15/hour.
• Marijuana: Favors decriminalization and expunging criminal records for cannabis-related offenses.
• Transparency: Would require cabinet to hold monthly town halls.
• Big Tech: Doesn't support breaking up Big Tech firms, claiming that would not "ensure dynamism in our economy and address corporate concentration."
• Voting rights: Announced goal of registering more than 50 million voters and ensuring that 35 million more votes are cast in 2024.

• Inequality: End racial disparities in education by investing $500 billion towards school-district funding gaps.

Key criticisms:

• Business policy: Has voted in favor of bills that Democrats say would reduce independent audits of corporations. He was a member of the New Democrat Coalition, which aligned closely with business interests.
• Teenage years: When he was 15, he wrote a piece of fiction about killing children. He has since expressed regret: "I’m mortified to read it now, incredibly embarrassed, but I have to take ownership of my words."
• Hacking: Was a member of America's oldest hacking group, Cult of the Dead Cow, in the 1980s.

1 fun thing

• O'Rourke used to play in a punk band, Foss, and founded a software company.

Go deeper: Everything you need to know about the other 2020 candidates

Editor's note: This story has been updated to note that O'Rourke visited all 254 Texas counties, not districts.