MARSHALL, Texas — With Election Day just 35 days away, Beto O’Rourke is making stops at 15 college campuses in an effort to get the young vote. One of those stops included Wiley College a private HBCU in Marshal, Texas.
“It was very considerate of him to come this way because it lets us know that he’s on our side and recognizes what we have going on here,” Kyiah Jeffers, Sophomore at Wiley College said.
During O’Rourke’s campaign stop, he discussed a range of topics from the use of firearms to the legalization of marijuana to changes to the criminal justice system.
Out of the list of topics, one of O’Rourke’s main topic was making changes to the state’s education system.
“I want to make sure we pay them enough just to have one job and we allow them to focus on those kids by canceling the STARR test in the state of Texas so they can get it done,” O’Rourke said.
The audience was later given the floor to ask O’Rourke direct questions. The questions range from women’s rights, criminal justice, and gun laws.
One student asked him about the immediate changes he would make following the tragedy in Uvalde.
“Here is where I have found some common ground within the state of Texas, is one, raise the age of purchase for an AR-15 or an AK47 to at least 21,” O’Rourke said. "Second, is a red flag law, if we had a red flag law we could have intervened, removed that firearm from his possession and saved 21 lives in that community.”
The focus was later shifted back to education, where students asked O’Rourke what he would do to limit the financial burden that some college students face.
"I want to make sure that at least the first two years of higher education, wherever you go in the state of Texas, does not force you to take on debt or student loans,” O’Rourke said.
Governor Greg Abbott will be in Tyler on Wednesday, October 5th. Abbott will meet with local businesses leaders to discuss Texas' economy.