If this turns out to be true, I believe it’s deep trouble for Tom Craddick.
Word came filtering in late afternoon of what would be a stunning turn of events in the speaker’s race.
Rather than Rep. Jim Pitts considering an endorsement of Rep. Brian McCall, the opposite is actually happening, say sources in a position to know.
McCall is set to endorse Pitts at a Capitol news conference tomorrow, says one lawmaker.
What does this mean for Craddick?
Three words: “Game over, man!”
More from Quorum Report:
[M]ultiple independent sources tell us that speaker candidate Brian McCall has thrown his support behind Jim Pitts and that the two are calling members now bringing together the coalition. Our sources, including members, tell us that there may be a press conference as early as tomorrow.
What we cannot verify yet is whether or not the Democrats have been consulted or signed off on the proposed coalition. We know that those calls have begun.
I’m trying to see what I can find out as well. This, on top of the news that freshman Republicans Thomas Latham and Patricia Harless have backed off from Craddick, is just huge. And it looks like I may get to retract my assumption about Aaron Pena, which as I said I’d be more than happy to do. More as I can get it, so stay tuned.
UPDATE: It’s in the papers now. Chron:
Two lawmakers today said House Speaker Tom Craddick’s two GOP challengers are joining forces to topple the Republican incumbent, with Rep. Brian McCall set to endorse Rep. Jim Pitts at the Texas Capitol Thursday.
“Jim Pitts will be the next speaker of the House,” said one lawmaker, who spoke on condition that he not be identified but is in a position to be familiar with the discussions going on in the speaker’s race.
“I think you’ll see a lot of Republican members standing next to Jim Pitts tomorrow when the announcement’s made. A lot of Republican members,” the lawmaker said.
Another lawmaker, a Republican who did not want to be identified, confirmed that McCall had decided to back Pitts.
“Today, Pitts met with Craddick but there was no real movement in their discussion,” the lawmaker said. “Pitts met or spoke on the phone with McCall. By midday, Brian decided to pledge his support to Pitts.”
A third lawmaker, a Democrat who is backing McCall, said a number of Democrats haven’t decided what they will do. Many of McCall’s supporters are Democrats.
Pitts, R-Waxahachie, and McCall, R-Plano, have scheduled a press conference at the Capitol for 4 p.m. Thursday. Sources close to McCall claim that Pitts has the votes to win. But Democratic lawmakers pledged to McCall expressed surprise — and some doubt how they might vote.
“People ought to look at each candidate as to what they offer as speaker,” said Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston. “If I am going to vote for somebody for speaker, I am going to talk to that person.”
Speaker Tom Craddick, R-Midland, who is seeking his third term, insists that he still has the more than the 75 votes necessary to win.
Rep. Mike Krusee, R-Williamson County and a Craddick supporter, said McCall’s switch is a victory for Craddick.
“Everyone who has been told that Tom Craddick was going to lose for a week was told the wrong thing,” Krusee said. “I think this is a huge opportunity for Craddick” to pick up votes.
[…]
A lobbyist familiar with the negotiations said that Pitts had 20 votes and McCall had 70 but that they agreed Pitts could more easily put a winning list of names together.
“All of McCall’s supporters would vote for Pitts,” said the source, requesting anonymity. “All of Pitts’ would not vote for McCall.”
That immediately appeared in doubt as word spread about Pitts’ press conference.
Coleman, a McCall backer, said at about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday that McCall had not released his House supporters to back anyone else.
“Therefore, I am certainly not looking over to Pitts,” Coleman said.
Rep. Jim Dunnam, D-Waco and leader of the House Democratic Caucus, had not heard of McCall’s endorsement of Pitts.
“I’m not prepared to comment,” Dunnam said.
I’m hoping to hear back from some people tonight. When I do, I’ll update.
UPDATE: Morning News:
McCall spokesman Roy Fletcher said the goal of both men was to have a change at speaker.
“They met and decided they would join forces because they want to beat Craddick,” Mr. Fletcher said. “They wanted it to look like far more of a bipartisan thing than it was appearing to be. They wanted to join forces, and Brian McCall actually offered to step out and let Pitts be speaker. And that’s what transpired. They wanted to beat Craddick, that was the whole idea.”
Democrats expressed surprise and annoyance that their votes were apparently being taken for granted, but Mr. Fletcher said that wasn’t the case even though “they were probably caught by surprise a little bit.”
The two men realized that Mr. McCall didn’t have some Republican support that Mr. Pitts had – largely because the Dems had gotten behind Mr. McCall in such large numbers – and had to make a decision, Mr. Fletcher said.
“When it gets down to it, the choice will be Craddick or Pitts. Which one do you want?” Mr. Fletcher said. “I don’t think they’re going to want Craddick by any stretch.”
Mr. Fletcher said he expects Mr. Pitts to have gotten 85 to 90 solid pledges by the end of Wednesday.
But the deal’s success may hinge on whether House Democrats supporting Mr. McCall would follow him and back Mr. Pitts. Former Democratic candidate Senfronia Thompson, who had pledged her support to Mr. McCall, said she may “reclaim my votes” and call the Democratic House members back to her campaign.
“It looks like mine is the only legitimate candidacy,” she said. “I went all over the state and campaigned for my vote, and all Pitts has done is come off vacation and decide he wants to be speaker.”
I read that as “We knew what to expect with a McCall speakership. We don’t know what to expect with a Pitts speakership. Pitts needs to talk to us, and the sooner, the better.” Which seems eminently reasonable to me.