Beto O'Rourke to run for White House in 2020

Former Texas Congressman Beto O'Rourke On Thursday (local time) announced that he will be running for the White House in the upcoming presidential elections.

In a video posted on his Twitter account, O'Rourke said, "This is a defining moment of truth for this country and for every single one of us. The challenges that we face right now, the interconnected crisis in our economy, our democracy and our climate have never been greater. They will either consume us, or they will afford us the greatest opportunity to unleash the genius of the United States of America"

With his announcement, O'Rourke joins a crowded field of more than a dozen Democrats vying for the party's nomination, reported CNN.

In the video, O'Rourke further added that he will run a "positive campaign".

"This is going to be a positive campaign that seeks to bring out the very best from every single one of us; that seeks to unite a very divided country," said O'Rourke.

The last year's mid-term elections thrust O'Rourke into the national spotlight, despite him losing the race for Senator post in Texas against Republican Ted Cruz.

O'Rourke's announcement has come a day after the reports of former US vice president Joe Biden likely running for the presidency had surfaced in the media.