Another Endangered GOP Senate Seat
Earlier today, Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison formally announced that she is going to challenge current Texas Governor Rick Perry in the Republican primary this March. This means that Hutchison will likely vacate her Senate seat. It is a strange move. While Perry is the longest serving governor in Texas history (he succeeded then Governor George W. Bush, who left office to run for the Presidency) and many Texans are indeed tired of him, he will be extremely difficult to knock off in the Republican primary since he is extremely popular amongst hardcore Texas conservatives. This base will make up the majority of Republican primary voters. Furthermore, Hutchison's decision to challenge Perry goes against the reported wishes of fellow Texas Senator John Cornyn, who chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Cornyn is concerned (and rightfully so) that Hutchison’s decision leaves what was a safe Republican Senate seat vulnerable to a Democratic challenge.
By stepping down, Hutchison ensures that there will be a special election for the seat on May 8th. Republicans will likely run David Dewhurst, who will be tough to beat. But the Democrats have two strong moderate (and extremely popular) candidates in Houston Mayor Bill White and former Texas Comptroller John Sharp. Both candidates have announced that they will run for the seat, but several sources close to the situation have speculated that ultimately, one of the two will step down and eventually run for governor. Whether or not this is true remains to be seen, however what Republicans can be sure of is that a seat that was quite safe in Hutchison’s hands will be up for grabs in May and for the first time in a long time, the Democrats will be in the race. Dewhurst will be the favorite, but Ms. Hutchison is not doing her state or her party any favors by running for the Texas governorship. The prize she seeks is a notoriously weak office and the seat she vacates is a Senate seat that Republicans can hardly afford to lose.