Obama fundraiser tells friends he is leaning toward Beto O’Rourke: report

A major donor to former President Barack Obama’s campaigns has reportedly indicated to friends that he’s leaning toward supporting Beto O’Rourke in the 2020 presidential race.

CNBC reported Thursday that Mark Gallogly, who co-founded investment firm Centerbridge Partners, has given associates the impression in recent weeks that he will back the El Paso Democrat in an increasingly crowded primary field.

{mosads}Gallogly helped Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign raise between $200,000 and $500,000, CNBC reported, and helped bring in at least $500,000 for the former president’s 2012 effort.

Gallogly did not return repeated requests for comment from CNBC, and O’Rourke’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Hill.

O’Rourke entered the field of 2020 Democratic presidential candidates last week, joining Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), among others, in seeking the nomination.

The former three-term congressman proved to be a fundraising juggernaut in his unsuccessful bid to unseat Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) last year, raising millions of dollars.

He announced earlier this week that he raised $6.1 million in the 24 hours after he announced his candidacy, more than any other candidate who has entered the 2020 race.