TX-Gov: Hutchison Forms Exploratory Committee

[ccharles000]

Get ready for a Texas-sized primary battle: it's been long threatened, but now Kay Bailey Hutchison has launched a committee to explore a run for governor in 2010. (And, of course, by the time you're officially "exploring" (i.e. starting to raise funds), you're actually pretty damn well committed to seeing it through.) As an added edge for Hutchison, as a federal official she's still able to raise money during the Texas legislative session, while Perry (a state official) cannot.
This creates the prospect for more interesting internecine warfare between Republicans (with Perry expected to line up social conservative support and Hutchison carrying the flag for the Chamber of Commerce types and what otherwise passes for moderates in Texas). But even more significantly, if KBH becomes governor, that leaves an open senate seat. (Unless Texas law has changed recently, the seat would be subject to short-term appointment followed by a special election... that's how KBH became senator in the first place, beating the hapless Bob Krueger in a 1993 special election, who had been appointed by Ann Richards to replace Lloyd Bentsen, who retired to become Clinton's Treasury Secretary.)

Houston mayor Bill White, the Dems' best hope in Texas, is probably also watching carefully, hoping to jump into whatever race Hutchison(almost undisputedly Texas's most popular politican) doesn't jump into. If KBH becomes governor, White may actually have a shot in a special election for an open Senate seat against a generic R.

http://www.swingstateproject.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=4090

[man4allcats]

1. I'm no fan of Kay Bailey Cheerleader, but

barring a Democrat I guess I'd rather see her as governor of Texas than as U.S. senator from Texas, especially if it opens the door for a senate seat for White. At least then I'd have some representation. As it is, Culberson (R) is my congressman and Cornyn and Hutchison are the senators from Texas. All three are notorious Bushbots.

[WolverineDG]

2. At least she answers my letters

always some stupid form letter signed with auto-pen, but it's miles ahead of the :crickets: I get from Asshat.

dg

[TheKentuckian]

3. Very unsurprising

and really for a Texas Republican, you could easily do worse than Hutchison. I think she can with the aid of a good pair of binoculars, at least see moderate from where she sits on the spectrum.