BETO 3.0: Beto O’Rourke Announces Bid for Texas Governor, Will Take on Greg Abbott

Hey, Beto’s back! This time, the failed Senate and Presidential candidate is running for Governor of Texas.

“I am running for governor to serve ALL of the people of Texas,” he said in his announcement. “I believe that the only way we are going to achieve great things for this state is by looking out for each other and moving forward together.”

“I want to serve this state and try to bring the people of Texas together to do some of the really big work that is before us and get past this smallness and divisiveness that Greg Abbott has brought to Texas,” O’Rourke told Texas Monthly. “You see it in the things he wants us to focus on right now, like which girls can play which sports in middle school, or what history teachers in public schools can teach.”

Beto has a bit of an uphill battle before him, according to Texas Monthly.

“[Greg] Abbott, who has raised more money than any governor in U.S. history, had $55 million in his campaign treasury as of July 15, the last time he reported the size of his war chest,” TM reports. “While polling has found that Abbott is not as popular as he once was, O’Rourke’s numbers are worse. A University of Texas poll conducted in October found 43 percent of Texans approved of the job Abbott is doing and 48 percent disapproved, but only 35 percent of respondents had a favorable opinion of O’Rourke against 50 percent who [were unfavorable].”

After Beto’s announcement, the Republican Governors Association put out a statement panning Beto’s history of progressive policies and failed political aspirations.

“Texas voters have already rejected Beto O’Rourke for statewide office, and they’ll do so again now that they know just how radical he really is,” said RGA spokesperson Joanna Rodriguez. 

“Beto 2.0 vowed to confiscate the firearms of law-abiding citizens, pledged to tear down physical barriers along the border, and supported regulations that would kill over a million jobs across the state and raise taxes and the cost of living on families and small businesses. There’s no telling how far Beto 3.0 will go in his vain attempt to stay relevant after running out of promotions to chase in Washington,” she added.