Scoop: Sources say Beto plans Texas comeback in governor's race

[brooklynite]

Axios

Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke is preparing to run for governor of Texas in 2022, with an announcement expected later this year, Texas political operatives tell Axios.

Why it matters: O'Rourke's entry would give Democrats a high-profile candidate with a national fundraising network to challenge Republican Gov. Greg Abbott — and give O’Rourke, a former three-term congressman from El Paso and 2020 presidential candidate and voting rights activist, a path to a political comeback.

But he would be running in a complicated political environment. Immigration is surging at the southern border and Democrats at the national level are bracing for a brutal midterm election and potentially losing the House of Representatives in 2022.

A new poll for the Dallas Morning News shows that O'Rourke has narrowed the gap with Abbott in a hypothetical matchup, down, 37%-42%. In July, O'Rourke faced a 12-point deficit, 33%-45%.

Before I get excited, someone needs to explain why his prospects are any better than in his last Statewide race in Texas.

[Liberal In Texas]

1. Who would be better?

His name is well known. This is half the battle.

[brooklynite]

6. I'm not saying someone else would be better...

...but that doesn't mean that the "best" is still a winnable prospect.

My available resources are going to protect Kansas, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, and to try and pick up Georgia and Arizona. I'm not seeing data yet that puts Texas in play.

[Liberal In Texas]

15. That's exactly what we've been fighting for the last 20 years.

Everyone has thought that Texas is a rebub write-off and Texas dems have gotten very little support from the national dems.

We have made a lot of progress without your help and it sounds like we'll have to keep doing it.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

2. Lol adorable.

[JohnSJ]

3. Unless Beto changes his position on gun control, I think it will be very difficult for him to win a

statewide election in Texas

https://www.npr.org/2019/09/12/760386808/orourke-promises-to-take-your-ar-15-but-americans-are-split-on-buybacks

[ratchiweenie]

4. Matthew McConaughey is also running and is 9 points ahead of Abbot in the polls right now. He's way

to the left of Beto. Might not make a good governor but at least he's a true progressive.

[BannonsLiver]

8. False. He's not "way to the left". In fact he has some weird libertarian views on a lot of things.

[LeftInTX]

12. He's a more a less a libertarian. He's not a Democrat

I don't think he's gonna run.

He doesn't vote, so there's that.....

[WhiskeyGrinder]

13. "True progressive" Jesus Christ.

The man who advocates an "aggressively centric" approach and has said little more? FFS.

[LeftInTX]

5. We have a few other declared candidates!

One is someone who lost her Democratic Primary Race for Precinct Justice of the Peace! She's an anti-vaxxer
Another is a used car/preacher who wears a cowboy hat 24/7. He is a perpetual candidate.
And there is another cowboy hat guy who I have never heard of before.

If you can find someone better please let me know, but we currently only have embarrassing joke candidates who are running. This is totally embarrassing and humiliating. No one decent wants to run against horrible Abbott.

I hope Beto runs.

[BannonsLiver]

7. Why is it relevant for you to be excited?

[brooklynite]

9. Because Beto (or someone else) is likely to knock on my door asking for money.

It is precisely the anger at Abbott that I want to discount, until someone can show that there really will be a backlash at the polls. People keep talking about how Texas is going to shift towards the Democrats. I'm still waiting to see the hard data.

[BannonsLiver]

10. That's not a very strong case, frankly.

Your money isn’t going to make him or break him anyway. Take it down a notch.

[brooklynite]

14. Funny how Beto et al don't feel that way.

I have lunch today with a candidate for Gov in Maryland and drinks with a candidate for Senate in KY. For some reason, they think my money is worth their time.

[LeftInTX]

11. I just want a competitive candidate to run

We have local races and coattails.

Beto at the top of the ticket helped down ballot races in 2018.

[Elessar Zappa]

16. Texas has been trending more blue

every passing year so it’s theoretically possible for O’Rourke to pull off a win. But personally, I don’t think Texas is there yet.