"No comment.' That is the response from U.S. Rep Joaquin Castro (D-San Antonio) on reports from the Dallas Morning News that he is considering running against Gov. Greg Abbott next year, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
Castro, who turns 43 tomorrow, has being pressured to run for several different offices across Texas, as the Democrats continue to see him and his twin brother, former San Antonio Mayor and HUD Secretary Julian Castro, as 'rising stars' in the party, and hope they will help lead the Democrats' resurgence in Texas.
Castro in June bowed out of challenging Sen. Ted Cruz, and Abbott is seen as a far more formidable candidate.With a huge campaign war chest and the highest approval rating of any elected official in Texas, Abbott's star has shone even brighter in recent weeks has he has traveled across the parts of the state hard hit by Hurricane Harvey, and has been praised for his leadership.
Texas Democrats have been embarrassed by their inability to field a viable candidate for governor, which would help their effort to bolster down ballot candidates in races they hope to win for Congress, and for the state legislature.
While Democrat challengers are long shots against Cruz and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a strong and charismatic candidate like Castro running at the top of the ticket would be a major boost in fundraising, and would help fire up Democrats who have sat on their hands as a procession of mediocre candidates have contested the dominant Republicans for top offices.
Castro, who is in his third term in Congress, has begun to amass influential committee assignments and he would be giving up a safe seat to make a Quixotic quest to unseat a popular sitting governor in a state which still leans strong Republican in statewide races.