Beto O’Rourke’s Powered by the People has raised $600,000 for Texas House Democrats in Washington

Through a crowdfunding initiative by his group aimed to raise awareness on voting rights, Beto O’Rourke has raised $600,000 to fund Texas House Democrats in Washington.

The amount raised by O’Rourke is destined to pay for expenses such as transportation, meals, and lodging as lawmakers stand against voting restrictions, a Republican priority in the ongoing special session.      

As reported by the Texas Tribune, State lawmakers are paid a salary of $600 a month and a $221 per diem for every day they are in session, which House Speaker Dade Phelan, has asked the Democrats to return.

With donations coming in from different sources, Democrats have set a fundraising goal of $1.5 million to continue the fight in Washington.

“We’re gonna make sure that we get the full amount, 100% of what’s raised, to y’all,” Beto told lawmakers during a virtual rights conference on Thursday morning “It is the least that we could do for everything that you all are doing for us. We want to do more.”

According to state Rep. Armando Walle, the funds will be sent to the Texas House Democratic Caucus and then wired to the over 50 Democrats and two dozen staffers in Washington, sometime this week.

As Powered by the People continues fundraising for the Texan Democrats who are making a stand until the special session ends, O’Rourke is also organizing a three-day Selma-style march in support of the Texan lawmakers.

The 27-mile Texas march meant to evoke the 1965 march over the Edmund Pettus Bridge will start in Georgetown on Wednesday morning and conclude at the Texas Capitol Building in Austin on July 31.

“We wanted to make sure that while they are fighting this urgent, necessary fight in D.C., that we open up another front in this battle,” Beto O’Rourke said.