Democratic statehouse Rep. Mike Villarreal of San Antonio is considering running for comptroller and is expected to make a decision next week. The five-term House member is an investor who holds a masters in public policy from Harvard.
The state Democratic Party has been trying to recruit candidates from different areas of the state, where their presumed popularity and political cred could attract hometown voters to the polls and lend strength to a Democratic ticket.
Bill White and Farouk Shami, with gubernatorial aspirations, and Barbara Ann Radnofsky, for attorney general, are all from Houston. Marc Katz, who has yet to file but has said he wants to run for lieutenant governor, is a restaurant owner from Austin. Bill Burton, an Athens real estate instructor, is from Athens and has filed for land commissioner. But so far, no one from Dallas or San Antonio is on the ticket.
Villarreal's spokesman said he will be launching a new website that will include a video about his future vision for Texas. Stay tuned. He might be giving Susan Combs what she asked for.
This news may chase Nick Lampson away from a run.
Update: Uh, no he will not. He filed for re-election to his statehouse seat instead.
BTW, here's my post from last year about this time regarding 2010 Democratic possibles. Pretty close to what our status is today.
