Presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke headlined his first Los Angeles fundraiser since announcing his presidential bid --- a event that one attendee described as intimate and even a bit folksy.
O'Rourke's campaign made a big splash at its outset, as he was featured on the cover of Vanity Fair and in a documentary about his Senate run. But the buzz around his presidential bid dissipated in April and May, as Pete Buttigieg soaked up much of the attention as the surprise newcomer.
Still, O'Rourke enjoyed a healthy turnout for his gathering, held at the home of philanthropist Lindsay Berger Sachs. According to a source, the crowd of about 200 people included Sue Naegle, chief content officer at Annapurna, and George Heller of Brillstein Entertainment Partners, but the attendees were a mix of Los Angeles lawyers, activists and other professionals. Jeffrey Katzenberg was one of the cohosts but did not attend.
In contrast to more formal fundraisers, O'Rourke stood on a back lawn and spoke to the crowd without a microphone and later stayed to meet and chat individually with attendees.
Earlier in the day, O'Rourke spoke to employees at WME Entertainment, which like other agencies has been hosting candidates as they have been on fundraising swings through Los Angeles.
