Bell not quite ready to jump in to SD17 just yet

The Austin Political report says that Chris Bell is set to officially enter the special election race for SD17.

Several sources report that former congressman and gubernatorial candidate Chris Bell is telling Houston lawmakers that he will run in the special November 4 election to replace retiring state senator Kyle Janek.

Well, one of those sources wasn't Chris Bell. I sent Chris an email asking him for a statement, and this is what he said to me:

He's incorrect. I have told no one that I am running for sure. As you know, I am considering it very seriously. If I had decided, I would have announced it at the convention since everyone and their dog was asking me about it and encouraging me to run. I greatly appreciate the interest and am not going to let this linger much longer one way or the other.

I certainly want Bell to run, and I believe he will have a very good shot to win the seat, given the recent poll numbers and scuttlebutt I've heard that the local GOP hasn't exactly coalesced behind Austin Furse. Between Bell, Joe Jaworski, and Wendy Davis, we could have a real shakeup in the upper chamber this year. But we'll have to wait a little longer to see if that's what we'll be getting.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on June 09, 2008 to Election 2008