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Former U.S. Representative Beto O’Rourke, a Democrat, is reportedly preparing an offer to challenge Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in the Texas gubernatorial race next November.
O’Rourke is expected to officially announce his bid for 2022 Texas gubernatorial post later this year, Axios reported on Sunday, citing political agents in Texas.
GOVERNMENT OF TEXAS. GREG ABBOTT FACING A GROWING GROUP OF REPUBLICAN LONG SHOT CHALLENGES
O’Rourke, a former three-term congressman from El Paso, lost his candidacy for the US Senate to Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in 2018 despite raising a record $ 80 million. dollars in the race that garnered national attention. He then failed in his bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.
The former congressman is apparently hoping to restart his political career in a state politically divided by burning issues like abortion, immigration and COVID-19.
“We hope he will show up,” said Axios Gilberto Hinojosa, state president of the Democratic Party. “We think he will be our strongest candidate. We think he can beat Abbott because he is vulnerable.”
“Abbott’s ban on masks and vaccination warrants has not been well accepted by Texans,” Hinojosa continued. “And with the abortion law, Republicans have raised the level of anger of Texas women to a level never seen before.”
David Wysong, O’Rourke’s former chief of staff and longtime adviser, sought to shoot rumors when Axios reached him, saying: “No decision has been made.”
Still, Axios reported that O’Rourke called political allies for their advice, “leaving them with the impression that he made up his mind to run.”
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A new poll for the Dallas Morning News shows O’Rourke reduced Abbott’s lead by 12 percentage points to five in a hypothetical game, while actor Matthew McConaughey, another potential challenger, soared to 9 percentage points ahead of the governor.
Abbott’s office did not return Fox News’ request for comment.
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