Oprah Winfrey is set to interview former Rep. Beto O'Rourke as 2020 race heats up
- Oprah Winfrey will interview former Rep. Beto O'Rourke of Texas at an event in New York City in February.
- O'Rourke has been mulling a presidential run in 2020.
- Winfrey has a huge following and can elevate potential political candidates in ways other media personalities cannot.
Media personality Oprah Winfrey will interview former Democratic Rep. Beto O'Rourke at an event in New York City, upping speculation about a potential 2020 presidential run by the former Texas Senate candidate.
Winfrey announced on Friday an event series titled "Oprah's SuperSoul Conversations from Times Square," which will include one-on-one conversations with popular figures at the PlayStation Theater in New York on February 5.
The event will be broadcast on the Oprah Winfrey Network and also posted to her podcast, "Oprah's SuperSoul Conversations."
Winfrey played a pivotal role in the elevation of former President Barack Obama during his initial presidential run in 2008. With a considerably large following in the United States, Winfrey will be able to bring a lot of attention to any candidate she has on her programs.
O'Rourke, who has been mulling a presidential bid since losing his Senate race against Republican incumbent Ted Cruz in the November midterm elections, is the only political figure on the list of attendees who Winfrey will interview.
While other candidates are quickly jumping into the 2020 race, O'Rourke's fundraising prowess can potentially allow him to take his time in deciding a run. During the 2018 election cycle, O'Rourke raised tens of millions in donations without taking money from corporate PACs.
If he can pull off the same impressive hauls in 2020, O'Rourke can stay alive in what is shaping up to be an even more crowded primary field than Republicans saw in 2016.