O’Rourke forgoing Clear Lake, other Iowa stops this weekend to stay in Texas after mass shooting

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke is canceling a series of campaign stops in Iowa and will remain in El Paso, Texas, through the weekend as his hometown continues to cope with a mass shooting that killed 22 people.

O’Rourke’s campaign says he’s not attending the Iowa State Fair as planned on Friday and won’t visit the Meskwaki Powow or the Iowa Democratic Wing Ding. The former congressman hasn’t hinted when he’ll resume campaigning, saying he’s not thinking of politics right now.

O’Rourke appeared Wednesday at an #ElPasoStrong event at a park, which was timed to coincide with President Donald Trump’s visit to the city.

O’Rourke and other top Texas Democrats had urged the president to stay away, which prompted Trump to tweet that O’Rourke should “be quiet.”