EDINBURG, Texas - At an impromptu meeting at UT-Rio Grande Valley, former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke encouraged the new mayor of Edinburg, Omar Ochoa, to aim high.
The two met at a voter engagement event held on UTRGV’s Edinburg campus by O’Rourke’s group, Powered by People.
Asked by O’Rourke, who used to represent El Paso, what his priorities are, Ochoa said: “I'm brand new. I got elected in November. But we’ve hit the ground running. So, infrastructure is a big priority of mine, making sure that we are investing in that. We are a huge growing community - 112,000 people. Number one fastest growing community in the RGV. Ninth fastest growing in Texas. But that requires a lot of infrastructure, roads, sewage, drainage. You know, you were in city government. Keeping up with those issues really is my number one priority.” Ochoa said.
O’Rourke, who served six years on El Paso City Council before being elected to Congress, responded: “I love that. Yours is a four year term, right?”
Ochoa replied: “It is a four year term.”
O’Rourke responded: “So you've got a lot of time to not only lay out this plan, but to execute it and build the coalition. I wish you luck. I have been involved in local government, but never at the executive level. So you've got a really tough job but really important one, and I just know from being here today, you've got extraordinary constituents who have fierce pride in the Valley. They want communities like Edinburg to assert themselves.”
O’Rourke said he had been talking to the former mayor of Brownsville, Trey Mendez. He asked if Ochoa knew him. Ochoa replied: “Oh, yes, I love that guy.”
“I was talking to him (Mendez) yesterday. We were talking about coming from border communities. One of the worst things you can ever say is, well, this is good enough for us. This is good enough for El Paso, this is good enough for Brownsville. No more of that. We want to be the best, not the best on the border, not the best in South Texas., We want to be the best in the country, for whatever it is we are doing. I feel and I hear the spirit of these students here. And I get that energy from you (Ochoa) right now. So I wish you luck,” O’Rourke said.
O’Rourke then introduced Ochoa to Cynthia Cano, who works with O’Rourke on the Powered by People campaign.
“She was chief of staff for the mayor of El Paso. I want to introduce you to here. And, if it is okay, I would love to exchange contact information and stay in touch. I don't know if your business or your work will ever bring you to El Paso, but if it does, we would love to host you and be helpful to you. I know that Mayor (Renard) Johnson (of El Paso) would love to meet with you. Have you had a chance to meet him yet? He's phenomenal. You're a few months (in to your first term) and he's a year and a few months in, he was elected in early 2025 so we'd love for you all to connect.”
Luciano ‘Chano” Garza, a Democratic Party activist from Hidalgo County, was with O’Rourke at the voter participation event. He explained the work of Powered by People.
“Beto O'Rourke is currently focused on grassroots organizing in Texas, leading his voting rights organization Powered by People to register voters and engage in civic advocacy ahead of the 2026 election cycle. He is holding town halls, supporting local candidates, and considering a potential future run for office while focusing on issues like Texas voter turnout,” Garza told the Rio Grande Guardian.
“Today Beto was meeting college students at UTRGV Edinburg and registered hundreds of new voters.”
Garza continued: “He is committed to engaging our young voters in our democracy and defending it. His political action committee, Powered by People, operates full-time, focuses on registering voters, canvassing, and strengthening the democratic processes in Texas. Beto is involved in political organizing. He travels across Texas holding town halls to discuss voting rights and political strategy. His 2026 election focus is: actively working to increase voter turnout for the 2026 midterm elections, where positions like Governor and U.S. Senator will be on the ballot.”
