Beto O'Rourke supporters swarm to see him in Houston

Droves of Houstonians showed up all across the city to see Texas Senate candidate Beto O’Rourke.

On this first day of early voting, O’Rourke stopped by eight early voting sites.  To say he was met by swarms of voters is an understatement.  It was more like he was greeted by flocks of fans chanting his name and asking for autographs.

With rock star appeal, some took off work to see and meet O’Rourke.

"I sure did.  I think he’s wonderful.  He reminds me of Bobby Kennedy.  He is awesome,” says supporter Leela Miller.  

The Kennedy comparison seems to be common.  Rose Melcher, 80, says this is the first time since voting for JFK that she’s this excited about a candidate.  “The country needs him and I gave him some advice as a mother and a grandmother."  We asked Melcher what the advice was or if it was for his ears only. "That’s for him only,” Melcher says with a smile.

”Let’s stand up against walls, Muslim bans, the press as the enemy of people and stand up for going from the least insured state in the United States of America,” O’Rourke told the crowd. 

”He is for the people. Not against any woman, not against any ethnicity.  I love him.  We need somebody like Beto,” says Houstonian Marie Perez.

"I just think he’s going to be a positive influence for young people because they’re tired of the negativity, tired of the bully politics,” says Houston resident Gracie Sukach.

"I think he’s more inclusive to what I believe in my morals the way I was raised that everybody should be treated the same,” says Beto supporter Adam Martinez.

The El Paso Congressman posed for pictures with a whole line of Houstonians on the same day President Trump is in Houston endorsing O’Rourke’s opponent Senator Ted Cruz.  O’Rourke says he isn’t concerned because he says people from all parties realize he’s the person for the job.

“When we don’t see each other as Republicans or Democrats and instead see each other as Texans, as Americans, as human beings, there’s no stopping our ability to achieve our ambitions, our goals.  It’s got to be all of us coming together for this country at this historic moment.  This moment will define us forever,” says O'Rourke.