O’Rourke faces an even more formidable fundraiser in Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. He had $55 million cash on hand at the end of June.
Beto O’Rourke
Analysis: Different year, different race, different Beto
Sneaking up on a bruised Ted Cruz and almost winning the 2018 U.S. Senate race made Beto OโRourke a big political name. But after that loss and a poor showing in the 2020 Democratic primary for president, the El Pasoanโs challenge to Gov. Greg Abbott is a different kind of contest.
Beto OโRourke uses opening days of challenge against Gov. Greg Abbott to recalibrate
OโRourke hit the campaign trail with a pitch narrowly focused on several issues that are largely popular with voters, leaving behind the more incendiary rhetoric from his presidential campaign.
Among El Pasoans, Beto OโRourkeโs gubernatorial run excites loyal fans and revives longtime grudges
El Pasoans who have followed OโRourkeโs political career are excited about his run for governor. But his critics still remember his support of a development plan that could have displaced Mexican American residents from one of the cityโs oldest barrios.
Beto OโRourke went after assault rifles in his run for president. Will that hurt him with gun-loving Texans?
โHell yes, weโre going to take your AR-15, your AK-47,โ OโRourke said at a debate when he was running for president. Now he’s running for governor and said he won’t be backing down from the statement.
Beto OโRourke enters 2022 a weaker candidate with a harder race
OโRourke joins the 2022 gubernatorial race as Texasโ best-known Democrat, but he carries considerably more baggage after a series of political failures, including his bids for U.S. Senate and president. This time, instead of riding a blue wave nationally, heโll be fighting a red one.
Beto OโRourke says heโs running for Texas governor
OโRourkeโs decision to challenge Gov. Greg Abbott ends months of speculation and gives Democrats a formidable campaigner at the top of the ticket โ someone who transformed Texas politics with his blockbuster campaign against U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018.
TribCast: How worried should Texas Democrats be about 2022?
In this weekโs episode, Matthew speaks with Patrick, Reese and Neelam about Tuesdayโs special election results, poll numbers in the governorโs race and oral arguments in the U.S. Supreme Court over Texasโ abortion law.
Greg Abbott leads Beto OโRourke by 9 percentage points in hypothetical matchup, UT/TT Poll finds
The poll also found that potential candidate Matthew McConaughey is not universally beloved by Texans. About a quarter of respondents had an unfavorable opinion of the movie star who has flirted with running for governor.
Matthew Dowd, former George W. Bush strategist, to run as Democrat for Texas lieutenant governor
Dowd said Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has focused on โculture warโ issues to divide and hurt Texans.

