Texas Gov. Greg Abbott filed for re-election in Austin on Tuesday.
Abbott collected more than 20,000 petition signatures in 20 counties to file for office instead of paying a filing fee, according to the Texans for Greg Abbott Political Action Campaign (PAC) established to support his re-election. In order to run for governor in Texas, a candidate must have collected the signatures of 5,000 registered voters in order to file for election using this method.
He also filed for re-election using this method in 2017, in order to run in 2018. That year, he collected 6,000 signatures.
Abbott has been Texas' governor since 2014. The Republican served as Texas' attorney general before being elected governor.
The release reiterates his commitment "secure the border, support our police and keep Texas the best state for business."
"Our re-election campaign would not be possible without our thousands of supporters aross the state who believe in the conservative values that make Texas exceptional," he said.
Billboards that can be seen on Interstate 37 also indicate that Republican Don Huffines looks to run against Abbott in the Texas gubernatorial primary. Former Democratic congressman Robert "Beto" O'Rourke also announced he is running for governor last week, and made a campaign stop in Corpus Christi on Thursday night.
O'Rourke last ran for the U.S. Senate against in 2018, and unsuccessfully ran for president in a packed Democratic field in 2020.
