Beto O'Rourke to host Amarillo town hall, says Panhandle must be taken seriously
'This thing is open to everybody — and I mean everybody,' O'Rourke said in an interview ahead of the event. 'We've been coming to Amarillo for a really long time, but it's important that we show up for each other not just when our name's on the ballot.'
The town hall is scheduled for 1 p.m. and is free to attend. O'Rourke emphasized that people of all political ideologies are encouraged to come, ask questions and participate in the discussion.
'We've had Republicans, Democrats, independents — folks of all kinds — showing up to these events,' he said. 'It's not about party. It's about listening, understanding, and realizing we're going through many of the same challenges together.'
He cited public school vouchers, rural hospital closures, and proposed cuts to veterans' services as top concerns he's heard from Texans in recent months.
'We're going through some really big changes as a country, and I would argue communities in and around Potter and Randall counties are seeing some of the biggest impacts,' he said.
O'Rourke pointed to the school voucher bill advancing through the Texas Legislature now signed into law, warning it will harm rural communities that already lack educational alternatives.
Many Panhandle counties — including those in Texas' 13th Congressional District — have few or no private schools. Students in rural areas may be forced to travel long distances to urban centers like Amarillo to even attempt to use the proposed education savings accounts, and only if private institutions agree to accept them.
'This voucher program doesn't expand choice for rural Texans — it just pulls public funds away from their local schools,' O'Rourke said.
In a February 2025 post, O'Rourke warned that the legislation would lead to 'fewer teachers, more school closures, and higher property taxes' as districts are forced to make cuts to compensate for reduced funding.
The funding problem is already hitting home in Amarillo. Amarillo ISD already announced it will close three elementary schools at the end of the current school year. District officials cited declining enrollment and long-term budget pressures as key reasons. O'Rourke said voucher-driven divestment could force more difficult decisions in the future.
He also warned that proposed cuts to Medicaid could accelerate rural hospital closures. One in four rural hospitals in Texas is currently at risk of closing, he said, and the state already leads the nation in closures.
O'Rourke expressed concern over the Department of Veterans Affairs' plan to cut approximately 83,000 jobs, noting that about one-quarter of VA employees are veterans themselves.
'These aren't partisan issues,' he said. 'They're issues that hurt people — and we need to come together to talk about them.'
O'Rourke criticized the Democratic Party's failure to run candidates in deeply Republican areas, saying it leaves voters without a real choice and undermines the democratic process.
'In the last election, nobody even ran against Ronny Jackson,' he said, referring to the Republican congressman who ran unopposed in 2024 for re-election to represent Texas' 13th Congressional District, which includes Amarillo. 'I understand the odds are long, but it's not about winning every race — it's about giving people a choice. If there's no contest, there's no conversation about ideas, no debate, no accountability.'
He said communities like Amarillo deserve attention, resources, and viable candidates from all sides of the political spectrum.
'Democrats aren't going to win states like Texas until they start taking places like Amarillo seriously,' O'Rourke said. 'And that means showing up, listening, and supporting local leaders year-round — not just in election season.'
O'Rourke said he's held about a half-dozen similar town halls in recent weeks in places like Mansfield, Wichita Falls and Tuscaloosa, Alabama, with more scheduled across Texas.
Although O'Rourke has not formally announced any future campaign plans, he said he's committed to being present in every part of the state and helping where he can.
'If the answer is holding town halls, running voter registration drives, or just listening — then that's what I'm going to do,' he said. 'And if it turns out the best way I can help is by running for office again, then I'll do that too.'
O'Rourke said he hopes Saturday's town hall will empower attendees to take action — whether by voting, volunteering, or even considering a run for office.
'Amarillo always shows up,' he said. 'And I always leave more optimistic than when I came.'
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Beto O'Rourke brings town hall to Amarillo to discuss education, rural issues
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