(Bloomberg) -- Former congressman and 2020 presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke won the Democratic primary for Texas governor as he seeks to become the first member of his party elected to statewide office in almost three decades.
O'Rourke, 49, had received 92% of votes in the primary race Tuesday, according to a partial count tabulated by the Associated Press. He faced four challengers, none of whom received more than 3% support, according to the early tallies.
In November, O'Rourke will face a Republican in the general election, likely incumbent Governor Greg Abbott. O'Rourke has criticized Abbott for putting too much focus on divisive social policies instead of prioritizing issues like shoring up the power grid after last year's deadly storm, bolstering schools and improving health care.
A recent poll showed Abbott with a 7-point lead over O'Rourke ahead of the Nov. 8 ballot. No Democrat has been elected to statewide office since 1994.
O'Rourke, 49, a three-term congressman from El Paso, is best known in Texas for his U.S. Senate run against Ted Cruz in 2018, a contest he lost while faring better than expected. Then, he undertook a failed 2020 presidential bid, dropping out after gaining little support.
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