At SXSW, Beto O’Rourke says legalizing weed is possible: ‘Republicans like to get high just as much as Democrats’

Democratic candidate Beto O’Rourke said Saturday that if elected governor of Texas, he would pursue legalizing marijuana — and said he anticipates that the Republican majority in the Legislature would get on board.

“I’ll let you in on a secret: Republicans like to get high just as much as Democrats,” O’Rourke said, speaking during a South by Southwest panel in Austin.

While some Republican-led states have legalized recreational marijuana, Texas has not joined the growing national legalization movement.

While that may work as an applause line, it may undersell the difficulty of winning over the legislature’s most conservative members. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, for example, has repeatedly threatened to block marijuana reform and sets the agenda for the Texas Senate.

While Texas lawmakers did approve an expansion of the state’s medical marijuana program during the previous session, the rules remain among the most restrictive in the nation. Earlier this year, advocacy group Americans for Safe Access slapped a failing grade on Texas’ program, saying it was neither accessible nor practical.

Even so, O’Rourke suggested Texas may not be immune to the sweeping tide of cannabis legalization, according to the Statesman. [Read More @ The Austin American Statesman]