Politicking's already started for March primary

Friday, June 19, 2009

Enrique Rangel

The special session Gov. Rick Perry intends to call perhaps as early as next month, Perry's signing of bills the Legislature passed in the just-concluded regular session, and the governor's bike accident have dominated the news from Austin in recent days.

But get ready for another long political season because once the special session is over the governor's race is expected to dominate the news.

Imagine eight months of politicking (the next primary is in March of 2010). That's the price Texas voters will have to pay because of two political heavyweights wanting to live in the governor's mansion.

As most voters know, U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison plans to challenge Perry in the Republican primary. The race is expected to get lots of national attention because Hutchison is well-known and because the contest is viewed as a fight for the heart and soul of the Republican Party - Perry wooing the conservative base while Hutchison is seeking to broaden the party's appeal to moderates and independents.

Although the battle between Perry and Hutchison is shaping up as the main attraction, there are at least three other candidates.

One is state Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, who has served in the Legislature for 10 years and also served in the Arlington City Council for six. The other is Tom Schieffer, a life-long Democrat who is best known for being a political ally of former President George W. Bush and brother of CBS newsman Bob Schieffer.

And the third is singer and humorist Kinky Friedman who ran as an independent in 2006 but plans to run as a Democrat next year.

However, even though Berman declared his candidacy last year, we won't know until next month whether he is in the race for the long stretch. Berman, who is best known for his tough stand on illegal immigration, told me this week if Perry endorses four key issues he is pushing for - including two that would help the state crackdown on illegal immigrants - he will withdraw from the race and endorse the governor.

Berman's decision could have a huge impact on the race because a recent poll showed Perry and Hutchison running neck-to-neck and in a three-way race in the Republican primary he could take more votes from the governor than from the senator.

Another overlooked factor is the impact the governor's race may have on other races, mainly for lieutenant governor and attorney general.

Once the special session is over, we will see what Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst decides to do.

If Hutchison resigns her seat to run for governor, Dewhurst is expected to run for her seat and compete with state Sen. Florence Shapiro, R-Plano for the Republican nomination and possibly against former Democratic State Comptroller John Sharp in the general election.

And with Dewhurst stepping down as lieutenant governor, that would leave the door open for Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott to run for the post.

And with Abbott out of the attorney general's office, expect a crowded field in that race, with former solicitor general Ted Cruz and state Rep. Dan Branch of Dallas fighting it out in the Republican primary and state Sen. Royce West running as a Democrat.

All those possibilities will make the upcoming political season interesting for political junkies but perhaps an eternity for voters.

ENRIQUE RANGEL is A-J Austin bureau chief. Address comments to enrique.rangel@morris.com or P.O. Box 12457, Austin, TX 78711-2457.