The latest news in the Speaker's race is a letter written by most of Tom Craddick's committee chairs to the House membership asking for their support in giving Craddick a third term. The letter is here (PDF); four chairs - two Republicans (Jim Pitts and Robert Talton) and two Democrats (Allan Ritter and Craig Eiland) - declined to sign. This is the sort of thing that I think Team Craddick should have done from the beginning, not releasing nebulous and ever-shrinking pledge lists or demanding to know who has pledged to someone else, both of which strike me as signs of weakness. This is the first positive reason to support Craddick I've seen, and not a minute too late for Craddick. Not that it impresses me, of course - I'd sooner see Dan Patrick in charge of things - but at least it's a sign that Craddick recognizes the position he's in.

Others have their own take. Hal doesn't think this letter will fool anyone, though he does have some sympathy for the Democratic signers, a position with which McBlogger disagrees. Vince thinks this letter could be the death knell of the anti-Craddick rebellion. Paul Burka is unwilling to call it one way or the other at this point. I'm somewhere between Hal and Burka on this. I see Craddick is being seriously wounded, but not dead yet. We'll know soon enough.

UPDATE: Just because it was my last post for this year on the Speaker's race doesn't mean it was everybody else's:

BOR cites a Quorum Report story in which Democratic Rep. Craig Eiland, one of the four committee chairs who did not sign the letter on behalf of Craddick, says that Craddick can't win at this point. From your lips to God's ears, Rep. Eiland.

Rep. Pena says he's ready to call the Speaker's race, but doesn't say who he thinks the winner is.

Muse comments on Rep. Pena's postings and wonders if Pitts and McCall might be combining forces.

Lisa Sandberg says things are a wee bit too quiet in Austin right now.