Former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke’s chances of winning the Texas gubernatorial election later this year remain slim despite recent high-profile Democrat clashes with Gov. Greg Abbott over gun control.
O’Rourke has strongly criticized the Republican governor and his Republican colleagues after the deadly shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, which left 19 children and two teachers dead.
However, in the bright red Texas, Abbott still enjoys a significant advantage, and bookmakers told Newsweek that the odds of the incumbent governor were still better than those of his Democratic rival.
Betfair, which operates the world’s largest online betting market, gave Republicans a 1/7 chance to win the 2022 governor’s race, while Democrats ’odds stood at 9/2 and the bookmaker offered 33/1 odds to any other candidate.
Irish bettors Paddy Power gave O’Rourke a 4/1 chance to win the race and Abbott’s odds stood at 1/7 in what can be seen as a good sign for the governor that seeks a third term.
“We haven’t seen any major changes in the last week, the opinions given in Texas regarding the party lines are quite fixed at this stage,” a Paddy Power spokesman told Newsweek.
Political gambling is illegal in the United States, but is common in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and other jurisdictions. Current odds on the governor’s career seem to indicate an upward struggle for O’Rourke.
Recent polls also seem to show a difficult path to victory for the Democrat. A May 15 poll by The Dallas Morning News and the University of Texas at Tyler found that Abbott had 46% support and O’Rourke 39% support.
O’Rourke has accused Abbott of inaction on armed violence and recently interrupted a press conference the governor was giving with other Republican officials in Uvalde and accused Abbott of “doing nothing.”
He later told reporters that some solutions to armed violence would include a ban on the sale of AR-15, red flag laws and universal background checks. The alleged shooter of Uvalde, Salvador Ramos, 18, allegedly bought two AR-15-style rifles for his 18th birthday.
It remains to be seen whether the tragic shooting will have a major impact on the governor’s career, but Abbott has faced criticism over the killings.
The governor caused controversy by briefly attending a fundraiser on Tuesday after being informed of the shootings, and decided to cancel an in-person appearance at a National Rifle Association (NRA) event in Houston on Friday amid criticism ‘O’Rourke and others.
Abbott also told a news conference in Uvalde on Friday that he had been “tricked” into responding to law enforcement’s response to the shooting and said he was “livid” about receiving incorrect information.
He had initially praised the police response, but there has been anger and criticism over conflicting information from authorities and the apparent failure of police to enter the classroom where the shooter was locked for more than 40 minutes.
However, no Democrat has been elected governor of Texas for more than 30 years, and the odds are not currently in O’Rourke’s favor.
O’Rourke narrowly lost to Republican incumbent Ted Cruz in the 2018 U.S. Senate election in Texas.
Democratic Gov. Beto O’Rourke is speaking to the media after he interrupted a press conference by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in Uvalde, Texas on May 25, 2022. O’Rourke has strongly criticized the approach. of Abbott as to arms control. CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP / Getty Images