Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke spoke on the phone with Hillary Clinton this past week, The Daily Beast has learned. The call, which was confirmed by O'Rourke spokesperson Chris Evans, came at his request.
“Beto is grateful for Secretary Clinton's leadership and service to our country,” Evans told The Daily Beast. “He is glad they had the opportunity to talk about how we're witnessing people in communities all across America step up like never before, unite together, and fight to overcome the greatest set of challenges this country has ever faced."
The conversation between Clinton, who lost the 2016 election, and O’Rourke, who came up short in his 2018 Senate bid against Ted Cruz (R-TX), was the first time the two had spoken about the 2020 campaign.
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O’Rourke, the former Texas congressman, recently hired several Clinton alums, including Jeff Berman, who served as a delegate strategist in that ‘16 effort, and Rob Flaherty, who worked as deputy director for digital communications.
Soliciting Clinton’s advice is not uncommon. Several other Democratic presidential candidates have previously spoken to or met with her in person, seeking wisdom about everything from domestic and foreign policy to how to best navigate an unprecedented field of contenders. South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg sat down with Clinton earlier this month, while Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Kamala Harris (D-CA), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) also met with her.
Clinton has not endorsed one of the nearly two dozen Democratic candidates running for president.
