Beto O’Rourke, Seeking to Oust Ted Cruz, Returns to L.A. for Fundraiser

By Ted Johnson

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas), seeking to unseat Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and land one of the year’s biggest midterm upsets, is back in Los Angeles on Monday to raise campaign cash.

He’ll be at the home of actress Nancy Stephens and director-producer Rick Rosenthal for an evening reception, with ticket prices starting at $250 per person. Those who contribute $2,700 per person or raise at least $5,000 earn a spot on the host committee.

Cook Political Report classifies the Senate race as “likely Republican.” While O’Rourke’s chances are still classified as a bit long by the political punditry, he raised $6.7 million, more than twice that of Cruz, in the first quarter. That includes about $167,000 from entertainment industry sources, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. His donors so far include Tate Donovan, Rian Johnson, Phil Lord, Connie Britton, Aubrey Plaza, Bob Odenkirk, Jim Gianopulos, and Tom Rothman. Chelsea Handler is among those who have been publicly championing O’Rourke in Twitter posts.

Co-hosts for Monday’s event include Tom and Ellen Hoberman, Phil Mercado and Todd Quinn, Cotty Chubb, Pat Klous and Roman Silberfeld, Charles Horak, Thao Nguyen and Andreas Krainer, Alan Rosenberg, Cate Park, Jon Vein and Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Marilyn Bitner, Jonathan Berry, Wendy Wanderman and Lynne Wasserman.

O’Rourke has trekked to L.A. at least two other times for fundraising events.