Beto O’Rourke, a Texas Democrat who received attention in 2018 for his fiasco with Senator Ted Cruz, announced on Monday that he will run for governor.
The former US congressman and the 2020 Democratic presidential candidate announced his candidacy through a tweet and video announcement.
O’Rourke’s bid comes as Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has attracted national attention for his controversial abortion bill. In September, O’Rourke tweeted that “Texas’ abortion law attempts to legalize harassment. It is cowardly and unconstitutional.”
O’Rourke has attracted attention in recent years because of his calls for gun permits and a mandatory repurchase program for offensive weapons.
In his two-minute video speech, he said that he wanted to run because the current elected officials failed to support Texas when the state faced challenges. The largest power outage in U.S. history During the winter storm in February.
“[Texans] Abandoned by those who were chosen to serve and care for them,” he said. “This is a symptom of a bigger problem we are currently facing in Texas. Those in a position of public trust have stopped listening, serving, paying attention and trusting the people of Texas. “
O’Rourke, 49, is the most prominent Democrat to enter the state’s governorship race. In 2018, he lost to Cruz, but won 48.3% of the vote. Abbott, who will seek a third term, won the last two elections by a landslide.
“Together we can advance the small and divided politics we see in Texas today-and go back to the big and bold vision that once defined Texas. A big enough for all of us Texas,” O’Rourke said.
He added that Abbott failed to pay attention to larger issues such as the legalization of marijuana, the expansion of Medicaid and the improvement of schools.
The election is scheduled for November 8, 2022.
O’Rourke’s governorship campaign has attracted a lot of attention on social media.
