Beto O’Rourke Planning 2022 Run for Texas Governor, Axios Reports

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Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-TX) is expected to announce a run for Texas governor later this year, according to a report from Axios.

O’Rourke would “give Democrats a high-profile candidate with a national fundraising network”and, they hope, a strong opponent to take on Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R).

Abbott’s approval rating has been dropping since April 2020, when it hit a peak of 56% approval. As of August, the same poll found his approval rating had dropped to 41%, with 50% disapproving — the highest ever.

In a hypothetical matchup between O’Rourke and Abbott, the former presidential candidate trails by five points; in July, the same poll found a 12-point discrepancy.

David Wysong, O’Rourke’s former House chief of staff, brushed off the rumors, telling Axios that “no decision has been made.”

However, Axios noted, O’Rourke “has been calling political allies to solicit their advice, leaving them with the impression that he’s made his decision to run.”

O’Rourke could potentially face off against actor Matthew McConaughey, who has toyed with the idea of running without publicly committing to it. McConaughey, who has described himself as “aggressively centrist,” has been well-regarded in early polls. In a June poll, he received a 42% approval rating as a candidate, despite having not declared his candidacy.