The Dew gets set to do it

To officially join the Senate race, as everyone has been expecting him to do.

Ending perhaps the worst-kept secret in Texas politics, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst will make his official announcement by “midweek” that he will seek the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat becoming vacant due to the retirement of incumbent Kay Bailey Hutchison, his press secretary, Mike Walz, said Monday.

Eschewing the traditional barnstorming tour of the state favored by nascent campaigns, Dewhurst will announce by video and plunge into the challenge of raising money under restrictive federal campaign laws, which limit individuals to giving $2,500 to a candidate per election, Walz said.

But political observers say Dewhurst, a Houston multimillionaire, enters the race with the unmistakable advantage of being able to self-fund a campaign that could easily top $10 million.

Dewhurst has money – second quarter results aren’t posted online yet, but none of the other candidates raised anything particularly notable. He has the most name recognition, which you’d expect for a guy that’s held statewide office since 1998. He’s leading the polls, such as they are at this early stage. I don’t think anyone would claim he has much excitement or buzz, but when you have all those other things perhaps you don’t need them. Not that Republicans should pay any attention to what I think about this, but if we can’t elect a Democrat I’d prefer to have the old white guy who won’t serve as anybody’s inspiration or be touted as the next new hotness. I’d rather take my chances in 2018 against a first term Sen. Dewhurst than against whoever was able to beat him in next March’s primary. Robert Miller has more.

UPDATE: If you missed the actual announcement yesterday afternoon, you’re not alone.

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4 Responses to The Dew gets set to do it

  1. I agree, including it would be great if we could get a Democrat elected. The only chance of that though is many Republican voters stop continuing to vote against their own economic interests but that doesn’t seem to be happening in Texas. Maybe Bill White should have not run for governor but for the U.S. Senate instead. I will support the Democrat but I’m not sure enough people will realize in time that is what they should do also.

  2. byron schirmbeck says:

    as is often the case turnout will be the key. The conservative base isn’t thrilled with him after torpedoing the TSA anti groping bill so I don’t know how fired up they will be to turn out for him. I think if a middle of the road dem ran he would have a good shot.

  3. Ross says:

    What economic self interests am I voting against? Overall, the Republicans are slightly less evil than the Democrats. The Dems generally seem to think that every problem has to be solved, and that government is the only solution. The funds for that largesse have to come from somewhere. Government has a few, very limited roles. Everything else belongs in the private sector. Now, that’s not to say I’m at all happy with the social crap the R’s are trying to push. Or that I’m against fair tax regimes to pay for what government actually should be doing.

  4. Pingback: Patterson to run for Lite Guv – Off the Kuff

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