How does Matthew Dowd for Comptroller grab you?
After years of behind-the-scenes work for candidates ranging from Democrats Lloyd Bentsen and Bob Bullock to Republican Bush, Dowd will soon be looking to act on the dream he has harbored for years: making the move to candidate."I really would like to do it when this is over," Dowd said on the eighth floor of the suburban office building that houses Bush-Cheney headquarters.
Dowd, 43, is evasive about exactly what elected office he would like to occupy. He rules out a legislative post and says he is most interested in a statewide post in which "I could do something."
Privately, he has told friends that state comptroller is the job that fits his love of numbers and desire to have an impact.
All Dowd will 'fess up to publicly is that he wants to run for something, and wouldn't run against a Republican incumbent, but has no qualms about running against a Republican who "is trying to move up." In 2006, the Texas comptroller could fit those parameters. Incumbent Carole Keeton Strayhorn is looking at challenging Gov. Rick Perry in the Republican primary, and GOP Agriculture Commissioner Susan Combs has said she will run for comptroller if Strayhorn moves on.
Just a gut opinion on my part, but I'd root for him over Susan Combs on the grounds that I think he'd be easier to beat. Either way, it'll take a good candidate and a fair amount of money to make it a race, but I still like the Democrats' odds against him more than I do against Combs. One wonders what he'll do if Carole Keeton Strayhorn defies projections and stays put in 06.
Via Political Wire, which also notes that the Chron picked up the Don Evans speculation story.
Oh, and I've finally given in to the inevitable and created an Election 2006 category. Now I just have to go through my archives and figure out which previous entries to migrate over there. Sigh.
Posted by Charles Kuffner on June 29, 2004 to Election 2006 | TrackBack