2020 Election: Beto O'Rourke Jumps to Second Place in CNN's Democratic Candidate Power Rankings

Beto O'Rourke has soared through CNN's rankings of Democrats most likely to end up nominated for the 2020 presidential race.

Although the Texas congressman suffered a narrow Senate defeat in November's midterms, analysts Chris Cillizza and Harry Enten placed him second on their monthly list of 10 potential candidates, released Thursday.

Related: Beto O'Rourke spoke to former Obama adviser Al Sharpton as the Texas representative considers running for president

O'Rourke has leaped a staggering eight places since the pair's November list, where he came in 10th. Cillizza and Enten wrote they'd probably have ranked him first if he'd actually announced he was running.

The CNN analysts attributed his jump to his "organic energy." "He generates excitement everywhere he goes—and is being urged to run by activists from all over the Democratic base," the analysts wrote. "He's the flavor of the moment, no question. But can he turn that initial excitement into a full-fledged campaign and sustain momentum over the next year-plus?"

In first place, and the only potential candidate currently ahead of the representative, is Kamala Harris, who recently said a race between her and President Donald Trump would get "ugly." But the California senator hasn't announced anything official yet. She told MSNBC's Mika Brzezinski that she'd "make that decision with her family" over the holidays.

Behind Harris and O'Rourke are potential candidates including Joe Biden (third place), Elizabeth Warren (fifth place) and Bernie Sanders (sixth place).

Former veep Joe Biden called himself " the most qualified person in the country to be president " during a book tour appearance on Monday, December 4. "The issues that we face as a country today are the issues that have been in my wheelhouse, that I've worked on my whole life," he added.

Although Obama's former right-hand man conceded he was a "gaffe machine" at the event, he said that was "a wonderful thing compared to a guy who can't tell the truth," referring to the current president.

Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren has been the subject of 2020 speculation for months if not years. But her popularity has been thwarted by an ongoing sparring match with Trump, who nicknamed her Pocahontas because of her claims to Native American ancestry. Warren dropped from second place to fifth in this month's Cillizza and Enten rankings.

With more than a year and a half to go before Dems select their presidential nominee, Cillizza and Enten's predictions could change dramatically. But for now, as the pair write, "It's Beto O'Rourke's world, every other Democrat is just living in it."

Beto O'Rourke, 2020 Election, CNN, Democratic Candidate, Kamala Harris
Democratic Congressman Beto O’Rourke, of Texas, gives his concession speech during the election night party at Southwest University Park in downtown El Paso, on November 6. O’Rourke has soared through CNN’s rankings of Democrats most... Paul Ratje/AFP/Getty Images

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