Have no fear, Texas may come to the rescue. First, there’s Dan Patrick.
Houston state Sen. Dan Patrick announced this morning he’s forming an exploratory committee for the US Senate seat being abandoned by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison . Patrick is a talk radio show host and one of the most conservative members of the Texas Senate. The announcement — which Patrick made on conservative talk radio host Laura Ingraham this morning — puts Patrick on a potential collection course with Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst. Dewhurst is eyeing the seat.
“Is there support? Can I raise the money. If so, I’ll make the decision,” Patrick told Ingraham, saying he expects to formally decide whether to jump in the next four or five weeks. A recent dustup between Patrick and Dewhurst makes looks like the episode that prompted the Houston senator’s decision. The two bickered over a bill to curb aggressive airport screening. Patrick says he had the votes until somebody distributed a letter on the Senate floor from the Justice Department questioning whether the bill was constitutional. Patrick blames Dewhurst, the Senate’s presiding officer.
And if that weren’t enough, there’s Rick Perry.
In his strongest statement yet about running for president, Gov. Rick Perry said day he will consider running for president after Legislature adjourns. “I’m going to think about it,” the Republican governor said today. In the past, Perry has effectively ruled out a race for president, saying he doesn’t want to go to Washington. But his tone has shifted in recent days with aides saying he has “no intention” of running. But Perry’s name is an increasingly hot property in politics as nobody in the Republican field seems to have emerged as a clear front-runner.
I don’t think the country’s big enough to handle both of their egos and delusions on a national stage. What’s scary is that the most likely scenario I can think of that prevents Perry from running is a Sarah Palin candidacy. As for Danno, who knows? Hair Balls is right, it will at least be entertaining watching the hundreds of Senatorial wannabees tear each other apart. My only concern is that it may cause a singularity to form. On the other hand, if we’re lucky, it might cause them all to get sucked into the Gamma quadrant. Gotta have hope, you know?
Some races are worth running even if you don’t win but Texas is an expensive state and very large for a run for Senate. So the rich usually win and the largest contributions go to the Republican candidates still one day we will have a Democratic Senator again. I just hope I live to see it. L.B.J. knew the Democrats would lose the South because of legislation he signed. I just didn’t expect it to last so long.