Tony Buzbee

We may have a new contender for Lite Guv - Galveston attorney Tony Buzbee.

A little-known outsider with a sizable personal fortune and a central-casting resume says he's giving serious consideration to mounting a challenge against Republican Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst next year.

Tony Buzbee, a 37-year-old lawyer and former chairman of the Galveston County Democratic Party, said the state's GOP leaders are spending too much time fighting among themselves and too little time solving problems like school finance. So he was receptive when some Democratic elders approached him a few weeks ago encouraging him to run for statewide office.

"I'm looking seriously at it, but I haven't said yes or no," said Buzbee, a former Marine Corps captain who led troops in combat during the Persian Gulf War. "I really don't like the way our state is being run right now, and I believe that those of us who have made something in our lives need to be willing to give something back."

The son of a butcher and a school cafeteria worker, Buzbee has made millions of dollars representing injured workers suing big companies and was named one of the top five commercial litigation attorneys in the state in 2003 and a "rising star" in 2004 by Texas Monthly.

Via PinkDome, with Andrew D chiming in. Buzbee lost a 2002 race for HD24 to Larry Taylor. He got 41.5% of the vote in a 39% Democratic district, which is decent enough. Maria Alvarado has already declared for this race. As always, I say the more, the merrier.

Lite Guv is a pretty tough nut to crack. David Dewhurst doesn't have anywhere near the baggage of school finance failure that Rick Perry has, though he's at least as responsible for it since his role is much more direct. There's been some rumors lately of discontent in the Senate over some of Dewhurst's tactics in trying to force a finance plan. That wouldn't have much if any effect on a race for his office, but it might help drum up a donation or two. Long term, given Dewhurst's well-known desire to run for something else (Gov or Senate) down the line, it'd be nice to ding his armor a bit lest he get turned into another soft-focus media "moderate" a la KBH with a daunting approval rate. I hope Buzbee is in, and I hope he makes a serious effort at it.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on August 15, 2005 to Election 2006 | TrackBack