Rep. Tom Perriello, who is also a former governor of Virginia, announced his endorsement of an embattled Texas Democrat who had left his state to avoid having to vote on the state’s new congressional district map.
“I’m proud to be endorsing Beto O’Rourke for Senate,” Perriello wrote on Twitter Tuesday, adding “I’m so encouraged by the energy, engagement, and excitement for this race that led me to make this decision. He represents the kind of clear vision that can translate into positive outcomes for all Texans and the rest of the country.”
Perriello, a Democrat from Virginia, served as governor from 2007 to 2014, first elected after his predecessor lost his re-election bid to a Republican. O’Rourke is running against Texas Sen. Ted Cruz (R) in the November midterm elections.
O’Rourke, meanwhile, is the only Democrat who has registered significant support among Texas voters in the race. Cruz has a small lead in recent surveys but his level of support has come under fire because it does not match his high-profile status or that of his two primary opponents, former Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez and businesswoman Laura Moser.
The congressman opted to resign from Congress on June 27 to avoid having to vote on the new map. He sought the resignation of the House clerk to prevent him from being recalled by his fellow House members.
“This broken system is no solution to the politics in the country today,” he said in a video posted by Bloomberg News. “It only perpetuates a rigged system that buys elections and deep-pocketed, secret spending that poisons our democracy.”
O’Rourke’s win could leave both party’s outside groups scrambling for money to keep the Senate seat in Republican hands.
Over the summer, O’Rourke hired several Republican operatives from the 2018 cycle, including House Majority PAC, an arm of House Democrats. The group spent tens of millions of dollars to help the party regain its House majority in November.
It was not immediately clear if Perriello was spending money on the campaign or the candidate himself.
Following his resignation, O’Rourke’s campaign staff member Aimee Bauman acknowledged on Twitter that the congressman was paid by House Majority PAC.
A spokesman for House Majority PAC did not immediately return a request for comment from Fox News.
– This article originally appeared on Fox News Insider.