Capitol Inside 05/10/2008

While several of the state's highest ranking elected officials consider races for even higher offices in 2010, a half-dozen Texas senators and several House members have been mentioned as possible candidates in the near future for statewide offices including governor and U.S. senator.

Republican State Senators Robert Duncan of Lubbock, Jane Nelson of Lewisville, Dan Patrick of Houston and Florence Shapiro of Plano are considered potential statewide contenders in 2010 or shortly thereafter if a U.S. Senate seat is up for grabs early.

Democratic State Senator Kirk Watson of Austin has also been mentioned prominently in speculation on possible races for governor in 2010 or U.S. senator if it's on the ballot during the next election cycle. State Senator Leticia Van de Putte of San Antonio probably can expect her name to emerge as a potential statewide contender as well on the Democratic side in light of a wealth of recognition she's received on the national level during the past few years.

Across the rotunda, Republican State Rep. Dan Branch of Dallas has been viewed as a possible statewide candidate while Democratic State Reps. Rafael Anchia of Dallas, David Leibowitz of San Antonio and Patrick Rose of Dripping Springs are some of the House members whose names have been mentioned as potential contenders at the top of the ballot in 2010 or at some point beyond that.

Most of the statewide offices in Texas will be on the ballot two years from now. While the term that U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison doesn't expire until after the elections in 2012, the seat that she represents could be available as well in 2010 or even sooner if she decided to resign early in order to concentrate all of her attention on a race for governor two years from now.

Hutchison, however, could run for governor in 2010 without having to give up her current post unless she won the gubernatorial contest that year. If that scenario transpired, Governor Rick Perry would be able to appoint a temporary successor to Hutchison in the U.S. Senate before a special election would be held for the final two years of her current term.

Perry on Friday reiterated his plans to seek re-election in two years. The Republican governor said last month that he's planning to run again in a statement that was greeted with skepticism from Republicans and Democrats who speculated that he might have simply been saying that to fortify the leverage and influence he has during the final two years of the term he won in 2006.

Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst is also considered a possible candidate for governor in the GOP primary in 2010 or U.S. senator when the job is open again.

Speculation about the next round of statewide races was stirred again this week when Shapiro's political consultant, Bryan Eppstein, said that she's contemplated the possibility of setting up an exploratory committee for a potential race for the U.S. Senate. A former Plano mayor and city council member, Shapiro is an 18-year state Senate veteran who's been one of the chamber's most powerful members in recent years as the Education Committee chair. Shapiro has been mentioned in the past as a possible candidate for Congress and other statewide offices as well.

Nelson, who's also served in the Senate since 1993, has received substantial encouragement from supporters who'd like to see her run statewide in 2010 or some point in time. Nelson might be inclined to wait and see where the greatest potential opportunities may be before setting her sights on a specific office if decided to run statewide. Nelson is one of the Legislature's most influential members as well as the Senate Health & Human Services Committee chair.

While Patrick and Watson are both freshmen state senators, they're both considered to be potential contenders for governor, U.S. senator or other statewide offices in two years or at some point thereafter. Duncan, a former House member who wields substantial clout as the Senate State Affairs Committee chairman, has been mentioned as a possible candidate for lieutenant governor or attorney general.

Like Nelson and Shapiro, Duncan, Watson and Patrick will be up for re-election in two years if they decide to hold on to safe seats in the upper chamber. But But Van de Putte, who's unopposed this fall in her bid for re-election to another four-year term, would have the ability to run for higher office in 2010 without having to give up her Senate seat.

Van de Putte's stock has been soaring. A former state House member who's been in the Senate for the past nine years, Van de Putte is the immediate past president of the National Conference of State Legislatures. She was chosen to be one of three co-chairs at the Democratic National Convention in Denver this summer. Van de Putte chairs the Veteran Affairs and Military Installations Committee - and she's been the Senate Democratic Caucus chair as well for the past several years.

Nelson and Watson both entered the year with more than $1 million in campaign accounts that they would have the ability to spend on statewide races for state offices such as governor and others on the ballot below it. Shapiro had more than $853,000 in the campaign bank at the start of 2008. But Shapiro and other state officials who might be considering U.S. Senate bids would only be able to spend a fraction of their current cash reserves on a race to replace Hutchison as a result of strict limits on contributions in federal campaigns. Hutchison - on the other hand - would be able to use most of the $8.6 million she has socked away in her federal account on a campaign for governor.

State Senator Tommy Williams, a Republican from The Woodlands, would have statewide potential as well if he decided to seek higher office after winning re-election to the upper chamber as an unopposed candidate in the general election later this year. The same can be said for several other state senators and House members as well.

Democratic State Senator Judith Zaffirini of Laredo had been mentioned often as a possible statewide candidate in years past but has seemed content to stay in the Senate where only one member has served longer.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples was a Republican state senator before winning his current post in 2006. Staples could have his eye on higher office in two years or at some point beyond that.

Attorney General Greg Abbott and Comptroller Susan Combs are also considered to be possible GOP candidates for lieutenant governor if not governor in 2010 or U.S. senator when that job is open again. Former Secretary of State Roger Williams is also mentioned as a potential statewide contender.

Watson could run into competition from former Comptroller John Sharp or Houston Mayor Bill White in the Democratic primary if he decides to pursue a campaign for governor in two years or U.S. Senate when it's up again. Sharp and White are both considered to be probable contenders for one of the state's two highest offices in the next round of elections.

Democrat Chris Bell might try to make a comeback in 2010 after finishing second in the governor's race two years ago - and state Rep. Rick Noriega may want to run for statewide office again if he fails to unseat Republican U.S. Senator John Cornyn in the general election this year.

Former state Senator John Montford, who's now the chief lobbyist for AT&T, has also been mentioned as a Democratic candidate for governor, U.S. senator or possibly lieutenant governor at some point in the near future.

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Legislature Brimming with Potential Contenders for Statewide Positions

Saturday, May 10, 2008 By Mike Hailey Capitol Inside Editor While several of the state's highest ranking elected officials consider races for even higher offices in 2010, a half-dozen Texas senators and several House members have been mentioned as possible candidates in the near future for statewide offices including governor and U.S. senator. Republican State Senators Robert Duncan of Lubbock, Jane Nelson of Lewisville, Dan Patrick of Houston and Florence Shapiro of Plano are considered potential statewide contenders in 2010 or shortly thereafter if a U.S. Senate seat is up for grabs early. Democratic State Senator Kirk Watson of Austin has also been mentioned prominently in speculation on possible races for governor in 2010 or U.S. senator if it's on the ballot during the next election cycle. State Senator Leticia Van de Putte of San Antonio probably can expect her name to emerge as a potential statewide contender as well on the Democratic side in light of a wealth of recognition she's received on the national level during the past few years. Across the rotunda, Republican State Rep. Dan Branch of Dallas has been viewed as a possible statewide candidate while Democratic State Reps. Rafael Anchia of Dallas, David Leibowitz of San Antonio and Patrick Rose of Dripping Springs are some of the House members whose names have been mentioned as potential contenders at the top of the ballot in 2010 or at some point beyond that. Most of the statewide offices in Texas will be on the ballot two years from now. While the term that U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison doesn't expire until after the elections in 2012, the seat that she represents could be available as well in 2010 or even sooner if she decided to resign early in order to concentrate all of her attention on a race for governor two years from now. Hutchison, however, could run for governor in 2010 without having to give up her current post unless she won the gubernatorial contest that year. If that scenario transpired, Governor Rick Perry would be able to appoint a temporary successor to Hutchison in the U.S. Senate before a special election would be held for the final two years of her current term. Perry on Friday reiterated his plans to seek re-election in two years. The Republican governor said last month that he's planning to run again in a statement that was greeted with skepticism from Republicans and Democrats who speculated that he might have simply been saying that to fortify the leverage and influence he has during the final two years of the term he won in 2006. Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst is also considered a possible candidate for governor in the GOP primary in 2010 or U.S. senator when the job is open again. Speculation about the next round of statewide races was stirred again this week when Shapiro's political consultant, Bryan Eppstein, said that she's contemplated the possibility of setting up an exploratory committee for a potential race for the U.S. Senate. A former Plano mayor and city council member, Shapiro is an 18-year state Senate veteran who's been one of the chamber's most powerful members in recent years as the Education Committee chair. Shapiro has been mentioned in the past as a possible candidate for Congress and other statewide offices as well. Nelson, who's also served in the Senate since 1993, has received substantial encouragement from supporters who'd like to see her run statewide in 2010 or some point in time. Nelson might be inclined to wait and see where the greatest potential opportunities may be before setting her sights on a specific office if decided to run statewide. Nelson is one of the Legislature's most influential members as well as the Senate Health & Human Services Committee chair. While Patrick and Watson are both freshmen state senators, they're both considered to be potential contenders for governor, U.S. senator or other statewide offices in two years or at some point thereafter. Duncan, a former House member who wields substantial clout as the Senate State Affairs Committee chairman, has been mentioned as a possible candidate for lieutenant governor or attorney general. Like Nelson and Shapiro, Duncan, Watson and Patrick will be up for re-election in two years if they decide to hold on to safe seats in the upper chamber. But But Van de Putte, who's unopposed this fall in her bid for re-election to another four-year term, would have the ability to run for higher office in 2010 without having to give up her Senate seat. Van de Putte's stock has been soaring. A former state House member who's been in the Senate for the past nine years, Van de Putte is the immediate past president of the National Conference of State Legislatures. She was chosen to be one of three co-chairs at the Democratic National Convention in Denver this summer. Van de Putte chairs the Veteran Affairs and Military Installations Committee - and she's been the Senate Democratic Caucus chair as well for the past several years. Nelson and Watson both entered the year with more than $1 million in campaign accounts that they would have the ability to spend on statewide races for state offices such as governor and others on the ballot below it. Shapiro had more than $853,000 in the campaign bank at the start of 2008. But Shapiro and other state officials who might be considering U.S. Senate bids would only be able to spend a fraction of their current cash reserves on a race to replace Hutchison as a result of strict limits on contributions in federal campaigns. Hutchison - on the other hand - would be able to use most of the $8.6 million she has socked away in her federal account on a campaign for governor. State Senator Tommy Williams, a Republican from The Woodlands, would have statewide potential as well if he decided to seek higher office after winning re-election to the upper chamber as an unopposed candidate in the general election later this year. The same can be said for several other state senators and House members as well. Democratic State Senator Judith Zaffirini of Laredo had been mentioned often as a possible statewide candidate in years past but has seemed content to stay in the Senate where only one member has served longer. Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples was a Republican state senator before winning his current post in 2006. Staples could have his eye on higher office in two years or at some point beyond that. Attorney General Greg Abbott and Comptroller Susan Combs are also considered to be possible GOP candidates for lieutenant governor if not governor in 2010 or U.S. senator when that job is open again. Former Secretary of State Roger Williams is also mentioned as a potential statewide contender. Watson could run into competition from former Comptroller John Sharp or Houston Mayor Bill White in the Democratic primary if he decides to pursue a campaign for governor in two years or U.S. Senate when it's up again. Sharp and White are both considered to be probable contenders for one of the state's two highest offices in the next round of elections. Democrat Chris Bell might try to make a comeback in 2010 after finishing second in the governor's race two years ago - and state Rep. Rick Noriega may want to run for statewide office again if he fails to unseat Republican U.S. Senator John Cornyn in the general election this year. Former state Senator John Montford, who's now the chief lobbyist for AT&T, has also been mentioned as a Democratic candidate for governor, U.S. senator or possibly lieutenant governor at some point in the near future. Go Back

Legislature Brimming with Potential Contenders for Statewide Positions