Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller (R) announced he would seek reelection, putting to rest speculation that he could challenge Gov. Greg Abbott (R) for the top elected position in the state, the Texas Tribune reports.

Beto O’Rourke told People he is getting ready for yet another long drive across Texas as part of a voter turnout effort in upcoming elections: “One way or the other, I’m in for the distance for Texas.”

He added: “That might be as a candidate.”

Associated Press: “For months, O’Rourke has kept his options open. A top aide to the former Texas congressman and presidential candidate said O’Rouke has not ruled out challenging Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in 2022 but has taken no formal steps toward a campaign, like calling donors or recruiting staff.”

“A comeback in Texas could be complicated by liberal positions he took while seeking the presidency, but likely no other Democrat would enter the governor’s race with the same ability to quickly raise the massive campaign funds needed to compete in the state.”

“Even as Greg Abbott and many fellow Republicans were still basking in what they called Texas’ ‘most conservative 48 hours’ in history, a former one-term state senator announced he would challenge the governor from the right in next year’s GOP primary,” the Austin American Statesman reports.

Dallas Morning News: “Former Texas state Sen. Don Huffines (R) is running for governor, and from the broadsides he launched against two-term Gov. Greg Abbott’s (R) stewardship on Monday, it’s clear the Dallas businessman will try to attack the incumbent Republican from the right.”

Austin American-Statesman: “On whether he plans to run for governor in 2022, O’Rourke said he will assess his next move when he finishes teaching his courses at the University of Texas and Texas State University.”

Said O’Rourke: “I’m going to think about where I can play the most positive role for Texas, whether that’s running for office or supporting those who do run for office. I’ll think of any and all ways that I can be helpful.”

Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-TX) told the Dallas Morning News that he is not planning to challenge Greg Abbott for Texas governor.

Said O’Rourke: “I’ve got no plans to run, and I’m very focused on the things that I’m lucky enough to do right now — organizing, registering voters and teaching. I’m just going to keep doing what I’m doing now.”

Actor Matthew McConaughey told The Balanced Voice podcast that a long-rumored run for Texas governor is “a true consideration.”

“Beto O’Rourke is on the road again, criss-crossing Texas and broadcasting his stops in small towns live,” CNN reports.

“His efforts have been focused on the crises that have gripped the state: Widespread power outages brought on by the failure of the state’s electric grid during last month’s freezing temperatures, and the battle against the coronavirus pandemic — which Republican Gov. Greg Abbott effectively abandoned this week by dropping the state’s mask mandate and its business restrictions.”

“But O’Rourke’s public re-emergence — and with it, the return of his from-the-road livestreams on Facebook, with 35 videos in the last two weeks — has ignited hopes in his supporters and among prominent Democrats in the state that the former congressman will take on Abbott next year. Increasingly, Democrats say they see Abbott as politically wounded and believe the former congressman who reinvigorated a moribund state party with his 2018 Senate run could offer the best chance of winning the governor’s office in more than a quarter-century.”

“While Ted Cruz was getting clobbered for fleeing Texas amid its historic winter storm, the Democrat he defeated in 2018, Beto O’Rourke, was already deep into disaster relief mode — soliciting donations for storm victims, delivering pallets of water from his pickup truck and once again broadcasting his movements on Facebook Live,” Politico reports.

“It was part of an effort orchestrated by O’Rourke and his organization, Powered by People, in response to the crisis. It was also, to Texas Democrats, a sign that O’Rourke the politician is back.”