With Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison drawing battle plans to take out unpopular Gov. Rick Perry in the 2010 Republican primary, the biggest Democratic names in Texas politics are lining up to run for the office KBH isn’t running for: her own Senate seat. Hutchison may jump ship from the Senate at some point over the next year in order to campaign against Perry at full speed, and Democrats Bill White (the current mayor of Houston) and former state Comptroller John Sharp will duke it out in a mandatory special election that will surely attract many, many contenders.
While defeating KBH would be tough even for any Democrat in Texas, it would be advisable to have more than just a warm body in place, on the off chance that Perry can pull a rabbit out of his hat and survive his primary. Who would you like to see run for the job?
Chet seems like the type of Democrat that could win Texas. I don’t know if he’s ever considered this race, but he would do reasonably well. However, if he did jump in, we would be hard pressed to keep his district.
I’ve been waiting for this thread 🙂
Bill White is the best person to run for anything in Texas, period. However, a special election for a federal office, which is what he’s running for now, I dunno.
Besides him, our bench consists of:
US Reps
Chet Edwards – The guy has the profile to win, but we would lose his house seat in the process unless it is changed in 2012 to be a “safe” one.
Max Sandlin – Kicked out in 2004 by the gerrymander. May be satisfied lobbying and having wife Stephanie Herseth do the government work in Washington
Jim Turner – East Texas base and left with lots of cash. An opportunity may be emerging soon for someone like him. A 2010 run for governor or Lt. Governor may be good for him.
State Senators
Kirk Watson – Yeah, he screwed up on Hardball during the primary, but he was chairman of the state convention, is personable, and is loaded. Austin Based.
Wendy Davis – Just got in this November, was on Fort Worth city council beforehand. Fort Worth based. BTW, I interned for Wendy last Spring, so yes I am biased, but she’s be a great Rep. Best way to describe her “One of the guys.”
Letticia Van DePutte – More liberal and in your face than the rest. She can run statewide, but I worry if we overplay our hands with her. San Antonio Based.
State Reps.
Mark Strama – Won in 2004 in a gerrymandered district no dem was supposed to win. Solid progressive, early Obama supporter, has the “it” factor. Austin Based.
Rafael Anchia – Good Leadership skills. Texas Monthly really likes him. Dallas Based.
Craig Eiland – Good old fashioned populist/moderate. Well Respected. Galveston based.
Kirk England – Elected in 2006 Special as a Republican, switched to a Democrat September 2007 bashing Republicans for not respecting the rights of constituents. This is the fastest part of the state from Republican to Democrat. East Dallas base.
Donna Howard – Won a 2006 Special (on Valentines day). Great education leader in the house. Great charisma. Austin base.
Patrick Rose – About as conservative as they come, but he has shifted left as time went on (as has his district). Known as a consensus builder. Based South of Austin, Hayes county (which had a dem sweep in 2006).
Scott Hochberg – Education finance leader in the House, was thinking about running for the SD-17 special but passed on it cause he’d have to lose his House seat. District is almost entirely apartments. Houston based.
Others
Rick Noriega – Great candidate, no statewide organization, more the fault of the state party than his. He will return soon enough, possibly after winning a Harris County office (County judge? District Attorney)
Adrian Garcia – While Obama and most judicial candidates in Harris were pulling 51% in Harris county Sheriff Garcia was leaving them in the dust with 57% against incumbent Tommy Thompson. Garcia was on Houston City Council before hand.
Hank Gilbert – 2006 candidate for Agriculture Commissioner and is running again in 2010. Very similar to Peter Goldmark in Washington.
Joe Jaworski – Ran for State Senate in district 11 this year, Hurricane Ike ruined his chances of making it close, but would have lost anyways, however that is more due to the district than him. He’s still a bit green, but he has the potential someday. Grandson of Watergate prosecutor Leon Jaworski. Former Galveston city councilman, Galveston based.
A Quick Word on Mayors
Dallas has a Republican Mayor and Mike Montcrief (Fort Worth) is too old to go state wide. Austin, San Antonio, and Houston all have open mayor races this year. No one takes Austin mayors seriously in the current electoral make up, Julian Castro should win San Antonio and may be good to go around 2018 but he is way to liberal for Texas today, and whoever wins Houston should be a good opportunity in a few years (NOTE: Rumor is City Controller Anise Parker is running and I believe she is an open lesbian, that may be Councilwoman Sue Lovell I forget which, but if it is Parker and I am right, that may be an issue statewide, then again Linda Ketner showed us how that did not matter in SC-1 this year).
People Who Will Want to Run but Shouldn’t
US Rep. Henry Cuellar – No one in the know likes him.
Fmr. US Rep. Chris Bell – It’s time to disappear into private practice for several years, maybe in 6-8 years he can return.
Gene Kelly – THE DANCER IS DEAD!
Barbara Radnofsky – 2006 US Senate Nominee – Sock puppet tv ads are not good, Barbara is supposably already running for Attorney General already.
David Van Os – 2006 Nominee for Attorney General. Ran for Party Chairman at the 2008 convention as the populist candidate. Wanted to focus on statewide for Obama rather than trying to take control of urban centers, odd claim that we didn’t need to build the party and should go for broke instead.
Did I flesh this out enough for all of you? Any other questions?