January 1, Beto O’Rourke announces 2022 bid for Texas governor

Former presidential hopeful Beto O’Rourke (D) announced that he is running for governor of Texas.

“It’s not going to be easy. But it is possible,” O’Rourke told the Associated Press. “I do believe, very strongly, from listening to people in this state that they’re very unhappy with the direction that Greg Abbott has taken Texas.”

Abbott, the Lone Star State’s Republican incumbent governor, is seeking a third term in 2022. The impending showdown between Abbott and O’Rourke could tempt Democrats to dump millions of dollars — again — into trying to flip the long-red state. Texas hasn’t elected a Democratic governor since 1990.

“What I’m going to be focused on is listening to and bringing people together to do the big work before us,” O’Rourke said. “And obviously that first big job is is winning this election. But the voters and the votes are there.”

O’Rourke announced his bid in a two-minute video, in which he directly speaks to the camera. He criticizes the Republican Party for ignoring things voters “actually agree on,” like expanding Medicare and legalizing marijuana.

“Those in positions of public trust have stopped listening to, serving, and paying attention to the people of Texas,” he said.

“The last thing Texans need is President Biden’s radical liberal agenda coming to Texas under the guise of Beto O’Rourke,” Abbott spokesman Mark Miner said. “The contrast for the direction of Texas couldn’t be clearer.”

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Democrat Beto O’Rourke running for Texas governor in 2022