Right of Texas is reporting that Rep. Chet Edwards of Waco is contemplating a run for Senate. I’ll be honest, this is the first time I’ve heard Edwards’ name in connection with any statewide run – former Rep. Jim Turner is frequently mentioned as a “What about him?” kind of candidate for Senate, but till now Edwards’ name has been absent. Edwards has money, two impressive wins in turf that went 70% Bush in 2004, and a voting record that’s fairly reflective of Texas (read: more conservative than I like), all of which would make him a formidable contender if he chose to get in. All I can say is what I said up front: this is the first I’ve heard of any of this. I’m hearing the same reaction from other folks like me. It seems unlikely to me, but you never know.
While I admire Edwards in many ways, despite some votes he’s made that have left me scratching my head, I don’t want to see him jump into the Senate race. We’d lose his Congressional seat for sure, and we’ve already got a perfectly fine and dandy contender to go up against John Cornyn. I can’t imagine why Edwards would give up a seat on the Appropriations Committee as a member of the majority for something like this, but again, you never know. What I do know is that I’m going to have to hear this from at least one more source before I worry about it.
Kuff,
I was in a room full of big-time donors and insiders a couple of months ago in Austin, where Congressman Edwards – unsolicited – told them he would NOT be a candidate for statewide office in 2008.
The guy’s got a committee in the House. He’s staying where he is. This is just the rumor mill.
Houtopia is correct. Rep. Edwards has told the powers-that-be in DC numerous times that he isn’t interested in a Senate run.
Kuff,
RoT is the same person who threw out a rumor that State Rep. Allen Vaught would be running against Jeb Hensarling. Cornyn needs fundraising help.