For God’s Sake, Someone Please Turn Off The Music
So apparently no one out there gives a darn about Texas’ various house races, Brimer v Davis, the SD 17 special, or poor RRC Commissioner Williams. At least that is all that one can reasonably conclude when even your child’s middle school paper is looking past 2008 in favor of the statewide possibilities in 2010. Four articles came across my screen today, so lets take them one at a time.
Perry and Freidman Cross Paths At A Coffee Shop
This story was just down right funny, Kinky and Gov. Perry accidentally in the same Uvalde coffee shop at the same time. Seriously, what are the odds of that?
The article isn’t much, but it does remind us of Kinky’s curiosity to seek the Governor’s post again, only this time as a democrat. If you can’t beat them, join them, right?
My guess is that if Kinky were to get in that 2010 primary (though I have my doubts that he actually will), he wouldn’t be a serious contender given that democrats don’t really like him, but he would carry the strong potential to be a spoiler for someone else. Not only that, but Kinky isn’t one to be afraid to take the gloves off, meaning that his involvement could tarnish a potential democrat primary in 2010.
Senator Hutchison - From My Cold, Dead Hand
I have to confess that I did not know that Senator Hutchison had a horse in the race that was the Supreme Court ruling on the DC gun ban, but according to the DMN it was her crusade and it has her further positioned for a possible challenge to Governor Perry. Heck, even the Senator joked about it, saying (in humor) that this could be “Great for Governor”.
If she does decide to make a campaign in 2010 official, what this will do is put another conservative feather in Senator Hutchison’s hat, something that would help her side step her pro-choice record and possibly seal the deal in a Republican primary.
Mayor White Getting His Face Time
He’s a name that always surfaces on everyone’s shortlist of possible democrat candidates for Governor in 2010. And why not? He’s practically already a Governor today, serving as Mayor to a city larger than some states. My thought is that Mayor White makes things interesting. He can talk about electric rates from the perspective of a former Deputy US Secretary of Energy. He can offer ideas to lower our high school drop out rate as the Mayor who created a Houston volunteer program to combat just that.
But more importantly, Mayor White is a very well known name for a party that desperately needs just that. I believe the poll that this article references when saying that if Mayor White gets in he would start out as an underdog. But given some luck I think he could pull a victory off in the similar fashion as Ann Richards.
Patterson Putting It Out There
Always one to shoot from the hip, Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson went public with the possibility of running for Lt. Governor in 2010. To be short, I think that Commissioner Patterson’s good ole-boy image and his passionate pro-gun and pro-private property rights stances can make him attractive in a Republican primary. But the real question on my mind is how does his less than 600K stack up against Dewhurst’s personal wealth and to General Abbott’s 7 million?
The reason I wanted to be short on Patterson is because of another name in this article, Patrick Rose, who is mentioned as a possible Land Commissioner candidate regardless if Mr. Patterson vacates for higher office or runs for re-elect. Folks have been talking about Patrick Rose for statewide for a bit of time now, so allow me to throw my own opinion in the mix.
The way he aggressively fundraises and the fact that his legislator retirement will already be secured by 2010 support that Patrick Rose could pull the trigger. But what I think Mr. Rose is going to struggle with is if he wants to give up the House seat that he has worked so hard to secure to start off a 2010 statewide campaign as an underdog in a general election.
If he were to then Mr. Rose brings to the table a moderate image and the proven ability to win in Republicans’ backyards. Something simple like Land Commissioner would probably be a good fit for Mr. Rose’s shining face, but I could see his own party getting in the way. His less than liberal voting record and his support of Speaker Craddick have many within the democrat party less than thrilled with Patrick Rose. But if democrats are smart then they will quickly recognize Patrick Rose as a necessary evil for them to get back into the statewide game.
Much like my thoughts on Mayor While, I think that Mr. Rose would need some luck. But my father once told me that luck is where opportunity meets preparation, something that Patrick Rose doesn’t seem to be too short on.