Democrat Beto O’Rourke announced Monday that he is running for Texas governor, challenging incumbent Greg Abbott (R) in what could become one of the highest-profile races of 2022.

       O’Rourke, who gained national recognition after nearly ousting Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) during a 2018 bid for the U.S. Senate, said in a video announcement that he decided to run for Texas governor after the state’s electricity grid failed. Without naming him, O’Rourke accused Abbott of failing to properly address Texans’ needs.

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       “[Texans] were abandoned by those who were elected to serve and look out for them,” O’Rourke, 49, said. “It’s a symptom of a much larger problem that we have in Texas right now. Those in positions of public trust have stopped listening to, serving and paying attention to and trusting the people of Texas.”

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       Abbott, a staunch Trump ally, is seeking a third term. Though popular in the state, his approval rating fell after the deadly electrical blackout and during the pandemic. Though Abbott has former president Donald Trump’s endorsement, he is still facing primary challenges from the right.

       O’Rourke is, so far, the only Democrat to enter the state’s gubernatorial race. Actor Matthew McConaughey, a native Texan, has long said he’s interested in running for the office but hasn’t launched an official campaign or said whether he would run as a Republican or a Democrat.