Texas' Castro Again Says He's Not Planning Gubernatorial Run
AUSTIN (AP) - U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro is repeating that he has no plans to run for Texas governor despite the state's Democratic Party chairman insisting last week that the congressman's still considering it.
Castro, a San Antonio Democrat, said Tuesday at the state Capitol, "My plan is to run for re-election." But he also called Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa a "great friend" and simply laughed when asked if would definitively rule out a gubernatorial run.
Asked who might be encouraging him to run, Castro didn't answer.
The Democrats haven't won statewide office in Texas since 1994 and don't yet have a viable candidate to challenge well-funded Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.
Asked if believes he is his party's only option against Abbott, Castro said "absolutely not" but offered no alternatives.
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