Texas Democrats, facing long odds to compete in the 2018 gubernatorial election, still can’t find anyone to run. Despite pleas from Democrats around the state, Rep. Joaquin Castro doubled-down on his refusal to run this week, telling the Austin American-Statesman that he plans to run for re-election to the House. The Democratic Governors Association has labeled the Texas governor’s race as “key target,” but remain unable to recruit a serious challenger.
The Austin American-Statesman has more:
Last week, Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa stirred the ashes of hope that Joaquín Castro might run in 2018 in search of faint embers.
“He’s never ruled it out,” Hinojosa said of Castro.
So, Castro was asked Tuesday, apropos Hinojosa’s comments, “Are you still considering it?”
“No. I have nothing further to add right now,” Castro replied. “My plan is to run for re-election, as I said when we had a press conference here about a month ago.”
That was Aug. 16, when Castro, also in the Capitol where he served 10 years as a state representative, said to much the same gaggle of reporters, “Well, I have a job right now, and my plan is to run for re-election.”
Castro was asked Tuesday if Hinojosa was guilty of peddling false information.
“The chairman is a great friend and has worked really hard building up the Democratic Party over the last few years, and I’m very appreciative of his work,” Castro said.
Have you ruled out a run for governor?
“My plan is to run for re-election,” replied Castro, now chuckling at the inability of reporters to let it go.
Without Castro entering the race, Democrats in Texas failed recruitment efforts are severely lagging as they struggle to find a single gubernatorial candidate willing to run in 2018.
