I know it’s dangerous to make political prognostications this far out. The primary voting doesn’t start until Feb. of 2020 after all. But, I’m going to go ahead and say it.

Beto O’Rourke’s candidacy is over.

With some people in the race, that wouldn’t exactly be going out on a limb, but Beto didn’t enter this race as a 3rd tier candidate. He brought in over $6M his first day on the campaign trail. He had all the media attention and name recognition. He was so hip and cool. It wasn’t supposed to be this way.

After initially competing well in the weeks following his announcement, the past few months have not been kind to Beto. Last night was his chance to regain his footing and assert himself as a factor in the race.

Spoiler: That didn’t happen.

At one point, Beto started speaking in Spanish for reasons only known to him and it led to the most meme-worthy thing of the night.

Cory Booker giving Beto O’Rourke the side eye when he starts answering questions in Spanish just won the Internet. #DemocraticDebate pic.twitter.com/iwppQvYnDD

— Andrew H. Scott (@CommissionerKY) June 27, 2019

But it wasn’t just the look on Booker’s face. On substance, he stumbled and flailed about, desperate to pander to the left while not appearing totally insane. It didn’t play well.

“Some Democrats want a marginal individual tax rate of 70 percent on the very highest earners, those making more than $10 million a year. Would you support that and if not what would your top individual rate be?” she asked.

“This economy has got to work for everyone, and right now we know that it isn’t. And it’s going to take all of us coming together to make sure that it does,” O’Rourke said before switching to Spanish.

The moderator would press him again about the 70% tax rate and Beto would continue to obfuscate, refusing to answer the question.

Beto is asked about a 70 percent tax rate and somehow ends up talking about voter registration. But not taxes.

— Tim Murtaugh – Download the Trump 2020 app today! (@TimMurtaugh) June 27, 2019

Meanwhile, after the debate, a near-universal consensus formed that Beto was the biggest loser.

Even rabidly liberal MSNBC, who spent the better part of 6 months fluffing Beto as the second coming when he ran against Ted Cruz in 2018, has jumped off the bandwagon.

Unanimous view from MSNBC panel just now: Beto the big loser at the debate.

— David Rutz (@DavidRutz) June 27, 2019

For Beto’s part, he gave himself an A.

Beto O'Rourke on #DemDebate performance: "I'd give myself an A." https://t.co/erpVfPLFu4 pic.twitter.com/ACM2o6IcXh

— The Hill (@thehill) June 27, 2019

Pure delusion on his part.

He seemed out of sorts the entire night and it became abundantly clear, even to the left-wingers on MSNBC’s panel, that this guy is an empty suit.

It’s all fun and games when you are running against a Republican. Not so much when you threaten the socialist dream by not being quite as crazy as Elizabeth Warren. Beto is learning the hard way that love in politics is fleeting.

He’s done.

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