Governor Rick Perry says Attorney General Greg Abbott will not challenge him in the 2014 Republican primary if Perry decides to seek re-election.
“Greg is a dear friend. He has said clearly that if I ran again, he’s not going to be running against me," Perry said in an exclusive interview with Dallas TV station WFAA.
Perry has been silent on his political future, saying he will wait until after the state legislative session ends in May before he reveals his future plans.
Abbott is widely believed to be considering a run. The most recent campaign finance reports filed with the Texas Ethics Commissionshow Abbott's campaign has about $18 million cash on hand, compared to $6 million for Governor Perry.
A spokesperson for Abbott would not commentto the Associated Presson Perry's remarks, saying any speculation about the Attorney General's political ambitions would be "unproductive."
