Kolten Parker at the HouChron, behind the paywall, makes the case I made a month ago that everything blue for 2014 hinges on that certain someone. And also reminds us that even state Sen. Leticia Van De Putte's presumptive bid for lieutenant governor depends on what Wendy does.
But he also names a few new (to me) names as potential statewides.
Uresti does not stand for re-election to the state senate until 2016. But West and Watson -- like Davis herself -- are up in 2014, which is to say that they must relinquish thier seats to run for higher office. The same, of course, for Rep. Anchia (because the House terms are two years).
I am still hoping Sen. Rodney Ellis will run for something -- perhaps against John Cornyn? -- as he does not have to run for re-election in 2014, has the ability to fund a campaign himself, and brings much-needed diversity to the ticket.
So add those names to the 'definitely maybe' category. Besides the potential team of Davis and VDP at the top, Texas Democrats today have two declareds: Houston businessman Mike Collier running for state comptroller, and former El Paso mayor John Cook standing for GLO.
Anybody know anything else? A juicy rumor, perhaps?
Update: Go read Socratic Gadfly's observations in the comments -- and an expanded version at his shop -- about West, and by extension, Ellis. As Texpate reminds, Raffi Anchia stated in June that he was focusing on re-election to the House (and not a Dallas mayoral bid). So the list of rumored candidate prospects is still barely enough to qualify as a decent rumor.
But he also names a few new (to me) names as potential statewides.
State Sen. Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio, said he is considering a run for attorney general.
"Politics is about timing," Uresti said. "And I certainly think it's the right time for the Democratic Party, and for myself as well."
Other candidates being courted by Democrats to make the leap are state Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, who has more than $1 million in his campaign account, state Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas and state Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin. None returned calls for comment.
Uresti does not stand for re-election to the state senate until 2016. But West and Watson -- like Davis herself -- are up in 2014, which is to say that they must relinquish thier seats to run for higher office. The same, of course, for Rep. Anchia (because the House terms are two years).
I am still hoping Sen. Rodney Ellis will run for something -- perhaps against John Cornyn? -- as he does not have to run for re-election in 2014, has the ability to fund a campaign himself, and brings much-needed diversity to the ticket.
So add those names to the 'definitely maybe' category. Besides the potential team of Davis and VDP at the top, Texas Democrats today have two declareds: Houston businessman Mike Collier running for state comptroller, and former El Paso mayor John Cook standing for GLO.
Anybody know anything else? A juicy rumor, perhaps?
Update: Go read Socratic Gadfly's observations in the comments -- and an expanded version at his shop -- about West, and by extension, Ellis. As Texpate reminds, Raffi Anchia stated in June that he was focusing on re-election to the House (and not a Dallas mayoral bid). So the list of rumored candidate prospects is still barely enough to qualify as a decent rumor.
Neither Royce West nor Rodney Ellis will make any fucking leap. As I said on my updated post about blue-state Tejas and Hispanic demographics, talking about black Democrats, who besides Ron Kirk has run for a statewide office? In the last decade, the GOP has had more blacks running statewide, in the person of Wallace Jefferson. Beyond that, I said black state senators like their little patronage and back-home ring-kissing. Unless it's the surest of things, and the statewide office is high up the scale, AND it's not in a senate re-election year for their seats ...
ReplyDeleteAin't.Gonna.Happen. Period and end of story.
Besides, with Royce, I believe that somewhere, some of that ring-kissing includes some tenuous connection to John Wylie Price and his obstruction of the Dallas Inland Port in south Dallas/south burbs. I hadn't heard anything specific before I left, and Jim Schutze at the Observer's never fingered Royce (who's too skilled to get directly entangled with JWP), but still.
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ReplyDeleteBlogger is fucking up my link to your expanded thoughts so that will have to be a cut-and-paste. Here, for those who want to follow this: socraticgadfly.blogspot.com/2013/09/will-next-black-texas-democrat-to-run.html
ReplyDeleteI don't take issue with any of that, or your longer post, but it's much more cynical than I choose to be.
I'll head over to your shop and expand on that.
Democrats can start at THE TOP like they always do, and I wish them luck.
ReplyDeleteBut as we have seen recently from "the judiciary".with their ruling on Tom DeLay... until they replace Republican judges in this state, nothing will change. i'm ignorant of a lot of things about politics. However, building starts from the bottom up, not from the top down.JMHO
You are correct, EL. And a great place for that to start would be at the Courts of Criminal Appeals.
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