New year, same topic, at least for another week or so. Today’s Chron story on the Speaker’s race doesn’t have much new in it – there isn’t much out there right now that’s new – but it does have some good quotes.
On Saturday, Craddick marshaled about 30 supporters behind closed doors at the Capitol. Both he and McCall claimed they had enough votes to win. Pitts, who entered the race nearly a week after McCall, said he was “getting there.”
Things were quieter Sunday.
Republican strategist Royal Masset likened the speaker’s derby to a divorce filing.
“You may stay married,” he said, “but it ain’t the same afterward.”
[…]
In recent months, [Pitts] said, his relationship with Craddick has deteriorated to such a degree that had he not thrown his hat into the ring, Craddick would have stripped him of his Appropriations chair anyway.
Craddick indicated that he was surprised by Pitts’ account. “He doesn’t think the relationship was deteriorating,” said spokeswoman Alexis DeLee. Of Pitts’ travel allowance, she said he submitted spending requests higher than other chairmen.
Craddick’s style — whether reality or merely perception — clearly has his camp worried.
“He wants happy members,” Miller said. ” … If people are saying, ‘We’d be better off doing things a different way,’ he’s listening.”
[…]
As each side claimed a majority of votes, predicting a winner became virtually impossible.
“The big problem is everyone lies about their support,” Masset said. “Legislators lie about who they pledge to, and the speaker candidates lie about the legislators who support them.”
That pretty much sums it up. It’s interesting to finally see someone like Bill Miller acknowledge that maybe there are some people who don’t like Craddick’s leadership style, and that maybe it’s a genuine problem for him. I just hope someone called Alexis DeLee to inform her of Miller’s comments.
Vince has an interesting take on all this. Like Eye on Williamson, I’m not sure I agree with it, but it’s worth reading and thinking about.