CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- On Wednesday, Democratic candidate Beto O'Rourke held a town hall meeting at a brewery near the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
- Beto O'Rourke made a presidential campaign stop in Charlotte Wednesday.
- UNCC's March for Our Lives Group invited several presidential candidates after the deadly shooting on campus earlier this year.
- O’Rourke recently endorsed the March for Our Lives’ Peace Plan.
At the event, the former U.S. Representative from Texas gave speech and later answered questions from the public.
The founder of UNCC's March for Our Lives group Cade Lee said the group invited several presidential candidates after the deadly shooting on campus earlier this year.
He said O’Rourke accepted the invitation, which wasn’t a shock to him.
"I wasn't surprised. Beto has really displayed to the community and across the country that he really cares about the community here and across the country that he really cares about every day citizens and about the issue of gun violence,” Lee said.
O’Rourke recently endorsed the March for Our Lives’ Peace Plan, which includes having a national licensing and registry system for gun owners.
"The only way out of this challenge, of this violence and this death, is to find the lead of those courageous young people who are going to guide this country in a much safer future,” O’Rourke said.
In addition, the plan asks for banning certain firearms.
"The further step, which I think is bold and I believe in it, politically difficult but absolutely necessary if we are going to save the lives of our fellow Americans and human beings, we buy back the A-R15 and AK-47s that are out on the streets right now,” O’Rourke said.
The support of the presidential hopeful encouraged Lee.
“It really showed his commitment to this issue and to the people of the United States,” Lee said.
He also said it’s encouraging to see this issue is at the top of his list.
"I’m happy to see he’s putting this at the forefront of his campaign. He’s actually making sure this is talked about. Whether or not he wins the nomination, he’s making sure the conversation continues,” Lee said.
O’Rourke reminded the crowd the need to work together in order to change legislation.
“You can’t do it through one party or through only one part of the country,” O’Rourke said.
During the event, he talked about the impact of President Donald Trump’s negative remarks regarding undocumented immigrants.
“Not only is it racism, not only does it offend us, our sensibilities, our ideal what America should be, if we were to live to our promise, to our potential. This idea July 4, 1776 that we were all created equal. Not only does it offend us, not only is changing us: hate crimes are on the rise.”
After the mass shootings in Texas and Ohio last month, the president said he condemned racism, bigotry and white supremacy.
When asked about how he would stop hate crimes, O’Rourke said he would make combating white supremacist terrorism in the U.S. as the number one priority for law enforcement.
He also mentioned if elected, he would work on immigration reform and take steps to address climate change.