BETO'S BACK

Move Over, McConaughey: Beto O’Rourke Reportedly Gearing Up to Run for Texas Guv

Sources told Axios the former three-term congressman and 2020 presidential candidate was expected to announce his candidacy later this year.

Sources tell Axios that former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke is planning on making a political comeback—and this time, he has his eyes set on the governor’s mansion. The 2020 presidential candidate would be teeing up against incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in 2022. Sources close to O’Rourke expect him to make the announcement later this year, according to the outlet.

A former three-term congressman repping El Paso, O’Rourke has been a champion of progressive causes, which is always notable in a conservative bastion like Texas, especially in light of its notorious new anti-abortion law. While his 2020 presidential bid flamed out fast, Gilberto Hinojosa, the state chair of the Democratic Party, expressed hope at the prospect of O’Rourke’s campaign.

“We think he’ll be our strongest candidate,” he said, apparently not on board with actor Matthew McConaughey, who has expressed interest in a run of his own.