Things continue to heat up in the Speaker’s race. First, according to the Quorum Report, onetime Speaker candidate Robert Talton has thrown his support to Brian McCall, thus making him the first Republican to officially break with Tom Craddick. BOR prints Talton’s statement.
Meanwhile, the Chron’s Lisa Sandberg reports on Texas Politics blog that Senfronia Thompson has also thrown her support to McCall. She claimed to have about 60 pledges.
That leaves Craddick and McCall. Well, it did leave them until Jim Pitts announced his candidacy.
“I told Speaker Craddick that I didnt think he could get the numbers that he needed (to be re-elected as head of the House). I dont think Brian (McCall) is getting the numbers. And I’ve got a consensus group that has asked me to run,” Pitts said in an interview minutes after he mailed his paperwork for the race.
Pitts said he would have a news conference at the Capitol later today to announce his race.
He disclosed his plans soon after a consultant for McCall, R-Plano, said his client had been endorsed by Rep. Robert Talton, R-Pasadena – who had been considering a run for speaker – and Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, who filed to run against Craddick.
All I’ve heard about Jim Pitts suggests that he’d be as good an alternative as McCall would be. If he can get over the hump, he’d be fine by me.
Meanwhile, Paul Burka says what he knows about McCall and his chances. Craddick released a list of 84 pledges to the Quorum Report, which you can see here (Word doc) and beneath the fold. That list includes Jim Pitts, so take it for what it’s worth. Finally, BOR has a Numsum spreadsheet comparing Craddick’s original pledge list to his current one, minus Pitts, with both lists taken from what Quorum Report has published. Have I mentioned that this is going to be a fun few days? Stay tuned.
UPDATE: Burka reports from Pitts’ press conference.
Craddick’s list, according to Quorum Report:
Republicans
1. Anderson, Doc
2. Aycock, Jimmie Don
3. Berman, Leo
4. Bohac, Dwayne
5. Bonnen, Dennis
6. Branch, Dan
7. Brown, Betty
8. Brown, Fred
9. Callegari, Bill
10. Chisum, Warren
11. Christian, Wayne
12. Cook, Bryon
13. Corte, Frank
14. Crabb, Joe
15. Craddick, Tom
16. Creighton, Brandon
17. Crownover, Myra
18. Darby, Drew
19. Davis, John
20 Delisi, Dianne
21. Driver, Joe
22. Eissler, Rob
23. Elkins, Gary
24. England, Kirk
25. Flynn, Dan
26. Gattis, Dan
27. Goolsby, Tony
28. Hamilton, Mike
29. Hancock, Kelly
30. Hardcastle, Rick
31. Harless, Patricia
32. Harper-Brown, Linda
33. Hartnett, Will
34. Hilderbran, Harvey
35. Hill, Fred
36. Howard, Charlie
37. Isett, Carl
38. Jackson, Jim
39. Keffer, Jim
40. King, Phil
41. King, Susan
42. Kolkhorst, Lois
43. Krusee, Mike
44. Macias, Nathan
45. Madden, Jerry
46. Miller, Sid
47. Morrison, Geanie
48. Mowery, Anna
49. Murphy, Jim
50. Orr, Rob
51. Otto, John
52. Parker, Tan
53. Patrick, Diane
54. Phillips, Larry
55. Pitts, Jim
56. Smith, Wayne
57. Smithee, John
58. Solomons, Burt
59. Straus, Joe
60. Swinford, David
61. Taylor, Larry
62. Truitt, Vicki
63. Van Arsdale, Corbin
64. West, Buddy
65. Woolley, Beverly
66. Zedler, Bill
67. Zerwas, John
Democrats
1. Kevin Bailey
2. Norma Chavez
3. Joe D. Deshotel
4. Dawnna Dukes
5. Harold Dutton
6. Ismael “Kino” Flores
7. Helen Gidding
8. Ryan Guillen
9. Chuck Hopson
10. Tracy O. King
11. Armando “Mando” Martinez
12. Ruth McClendon
13. Aaron Pena
14. Robert Puente
15. Richard Raymond
16. Patrick M. Rose
17. Sylvester Turner
Some of those Dems I’d consider solid for Craddick – Bailey, Chavez, Dukes, Dutton, Flores, McClendon, Puente, Rose, and Turner. Others, maybe not so much. At this point, assume most of what is being said today as being written in the sand as the tide comes in.
Chairman Pitts is a good person. He’s demonstrated that he is not afraid of Craddick and really has nothing to lose by doing this. Craddick was going to remove him as Appropriations chair anyway.
I’ve heard that a leading D consultant has been telling folks that Jim Keffer or Jim Pitts should be the compromise candidate for Rs that can’t bring themselves to vote for McCall because it would give too much influence to Jim Dunnam and the rest of the D leadership in the House.
Before you start praising Pitts, consider his impact on any hopes of air quality legislation this session.
He represents Midlothian, home of three – count ’em – three cement plants that produce half of all the industrial pollution in DFW. And he protects those lovlies like a Mother Bear.
Just like Craddick, he’ll be an industry gatekeeper that will prevent any clean air legislation from passing, or even getting a chance to pass.
McCall on the other hand represents an area that is hard hit by the pollution from those cement plants – and the new coal plants as well. He comes from a County where the recent incumbent (R) County Judge was one of the most respected voices for clean air in Texas.
If you’re an air breather, you should be praying for McCall, not Pitts, no matter how much you want Craddick’s ass out on the street.
Power struggle in the Texas House
During a time when most people are enjoying the holidays, Texas Republicans are engaging in a very interesting power struggle. The prize is to become Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives. The current holder of that office, Tom Craddick
Why would a D consultant be telling R’s what to do?
Speaker’s race update
Things continue to heat up in the Speaker’s race. First, according to the Quorum Report, onetime Speaker candidate Robert Talton has thrown his support to Brian McCall, thus making him the first Republican to officially break with Tom Craddick. BOR…
Today’s Speaker Race news
Crossposted at Off the Kuff. Sorry about all this crossposting, but things are a little crazy right now, and I want this stuff on the Chron blog as well. It’s really hard to keep up on all the developments in…
“He represents Midlothian, home of three – count ’em – three cement plants that produce half of all the industrial pollution in DFW. And he protects those lovlies like a Mother Bear.”
If the above quote is the only bad thing you can find to say about Rep. Pitts sounds like he would make a great Speaker. Rep. Pitts you are in my thoughts and prayers, I hope you win in a land slide victory.