AUSTIN, Texas — Beto O’Rourke is attracting sizeable crowds at his rallies during his nearly 50-day drive across the state, and he recently out-raised incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott. 

Yet, the Democratic challenger can’t break through in polls — with the latest one out this week showing he’s trailing Abbott by 7 points. Still, he says this campaign is different. 

“[Texans] want to see us do big things, like fix the grid... fix public education, and do smart, bipartisan things like expand Medicaid,” said O’Rourke during an interview on Capital Tonight. “These are things that unite us at a very divided, polarized moment. That’s why I know we’re going to win.” 

O’Rourke has made gun reform a top campaign priority, especially in the wake of the Uvalde school shooting. He says that most Texans want bipartisan gun reform, like red flag laws, background checks, and raising the minimum age to purchase an assault weapon. 

“What I’ve heard from my fellow Texans is, let’s do the right thing,” said O’Rourke. “Let’s defend the Second Amendment, while doing a better job of protecting kids in classrooms.” 

Click the link above to watch that full conversation.