Texas Comptroller Eyes Governorship in 2006 {Or Will She Settle for Lieutenant Governor?}

Austin, TX, American-Statesman | 04-22-04 | McNeely, Dave

[Theodore R.]

Commentary: Dave McNeely Comptrollers count office as rung up

Thursday, April 22, 2004

The three Texas comptrollers since 1975 have wanted to be governor. Carole Keeton Strayhorn is no exception.

The first two — the late Bob Bullock and John Sharp, both Democrats — eventually settled for a run at lieutenant governor. Bullock won; Sharp didn't.

Strayhorn, one loud grandma, has yet to announce her plans. Though she's a Republican like Gov. Rick Perry, Strayhorn has been slapping Perry every time he turns around.

She says he:

is an ineffective leader, should put more money into the Children's Health Insurance Program to reinstate kids who were dropped, and will put the state $10 billion in debt in five years if his school funding/property tax cut plan is followed.

Last year, she suggested a tax on cigarettes and legalizing video lottery terminals. Perry said no, but this year that's his partial solution for school finance.

What's happening here is a collision in the ambition tube.

Among Texas' statewide elected offices, top prizes are Texas' two seats in the United States Senate, the governorship and a few notches lower, the lieutenant governorship.

The other down-ballot offices — land commissioner, railroad commissioners, agriculture commissioner, attorney general, the now-defunct office of treasurer — are the on-deck circle for the bigger offices.

Senior U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison was state treasurer before election to the Senate. Junior U.S. Sen. John Cornyn was on the Texas Supreme Court and attorney general before he joined her.

Perry was agriculture commissioner, and then lieutenant governor, before becoming governor. Strayhorn won a Railroad Commission seat on her second try, then moved up to comptroller. She's still hungry.

Bullock, as comptroller, supported Gov. Dolph Briscoe's re-election in 1978 because he had squabbled with Briscoe's Democratic primary opponent, Attorney General John Hill. And, Bullock wanted to run for governor in 1982 when Briscoe left.

However, Hill beat Briscoe but then lost to Republican Bill Clements. Bullock and Clements got along OK. But Bullock had a running feud with Mark White, who had become attorney general.

When White upset Clements, Bullock announced he would run for governor in 1986 and continued banging on White.

By 1984, Bullock said he wouldn't run for governor. By 1989, he settled for running for lieutenant governor in 1990 and shelved his gubernatorial ambitions.

Sharp, who succeeded Bullock, got along well with Democratic Gov. Ann Richards and then Republican Gov. George W. Bush, who unseated Richards in 1994. Sharp considered opposing Bush in 1998, not because they'd fought, but because he wanted the job.

He finally decided Bush was unbeatable and settled for a race for lieutenant governor.

Strayhorn obviously hasn't made that decision yet. She wants to run for governor. But if Hutchison runs against Perry, and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst seeks Hutchison's Senate seat, look for Strayhorn to run for lieutenant governor.

[Theodore R.]

The headline was altered because the existing headline in the Austin newspaper made no sense.

[WinOne4TheGipper]

I can't imagine that, after all the fighting going on between Perry and her, she'd run for anything but governor in 2006.

[ken5050]

Since is seems unlikely that a Dem can win a statewide race in Texas for many years...a GOP primary is the best way to sort 'em all out...

[Theodore R.]

I guess if McNeely is right, the Republicans in 2006 could theoretically have a Perry-Strayhorn "ticket" which could doom it to defeat. Something like that happened in IL in 1982 or 1986, when popular Democrat gubernatorial nominee Adlai E. Stevenson, III, (considere a certain victor) dropped his Democrat candidacy (ran as an independent instead) because of an undesirable lt. gov. candidate from the LaRouche faction.

[sinkspur]

Strayhorn doesn't have a prayer against Perry. The entire Texas GOP owes Perry for the redistricting victory, and they'll line up behind him.

[sinkspur]

I guess if McNeely is right, the Republicans in 2006 could theoretically have a Perry-Strayhorn "ticket" which could doom it to defeat.

There you go, Ted, with your closet Democrat leanings showing again.

What Democrat has any chance of beating Perry?

And voters don't care who the Lt. Governor is.

[Theodore R.]

If the TX GOP self-destructs in 2006, then the Democrats will rebound by default. Watch the Lubbock-based congressional race this fall. If the popular Democrat Charles Stenholm wins in the staunchest Republican area of the state, that could be a clue to a Democrat resurgence in 2006. Or it just might mean that Stenholm once again out politicked a Republican opponent.

[rdb3]

I wouldn't vote Carole Keeton Strayhorn for dogcatcher, much less governor.

A.K.A. Sleepy Brown

[Theodore R.]

closet Democrat leanings

This is laughable. How could I as "a closet Democrat" never once have voted in a TX Democrat primary? How could I as "a closet Democrat" never once supported any Democrat in a TX general election?

[ken5050]

Just read you comment, and my head hurts from scratching it. You're ALL over the place, and it's very unlike you...can you translate, please...

[deport]

There you go, Ted, with your closet Democrat leanings showing again.

---

LOL.... yep he's got the anti republican down pat..... Now tell me why two candidates both that have been elected statewide more than once would as a team go down to defeat? Yep makes all the sense in the world to me... maybe some tidbit of trivia from years past will show one precinct where it's happened in some state.

But then the 'dream team' was going to wipe Texas Republicans off the ballot according to some.......

[Theodore R.]

Strayhorn may think that she is a serious candidate because she ran some 10 percent ahead of Perry in raw votes in the 2006 general election. Of course, she could be personally shocked if she enters the 2006 primary too.

As far as repaying Perry for his firm stand on redistricting, that could be what gets him renominated UNLESS the expected Republican House gains this fall do not materialize; that is, if Stenholm takes the Lubbock-Abilene district and Chet Edwards is reelected in the Bryan-College Station district. Everyone concedes that Lloyd Doggett will prevail in the Austin-McAllen north-south district.

The TX Democrats have two "hate" targets: Bush and Perry, and they aim to fight hard. They will have to concede TX to Bush unless the GOP implodes before November, but they will offer somebody against Perry. A retiring Democrat congressman named Jim Turner from East TX is already making noises about running. He would not have statewide name ID, however.

[Theodore R.]

Ask specific questions, and I will try to clear up the confusion. Of course, I might just add to it!

[sinkspur]

You seem to think that Perry and Strayhorn would get beat in 2006.

With all due respect, that's just nutty. The Democrats are dead in Texas for at least the rest of this decade.

[Theodore R.]

The Democrats are the oldest still surviving political party in WORLD HISTORY. They are sometimes "down" for a while, but they always come back in time!!! Remember just twelve years ago? It is possible for a Democrat to defeat Perry in 2006, but I have no idea who such a candidate might be. New faces sometimes "click" with voters unaware of the intricacies of politics. I think Perry's reelection is somewhat doubtful.

[rdb3]

A retiring Democrat congressman named Jim Turner from East TX is already making noises about running. He would not have statewide name ID, however.

You got that right. I've been in Dallas for 11 years, and I've never heard of this character.

A.K.A. Sleepy Brown

[sinkspur]

I think Perry's reelection is somewhat doubtful.

The only way Perry loses is if Kay Bailey decides to run for governor.

I don't think she will do that.

[Theodore R.]

Still, you are not accounting for a possible "fresh-face" Democrat emerging in 2006.

Do you think that Hutchison will retire from politics at the end of 2006?

[WOSG]

"I wouldn't vote Carole Keeton Strayhorn for dogcatcher, much less governor."

Amen to that!

Strayhorn seems to think that Perry isnt enough of a RINO to her liking, so she is acting like the 'opposition' party. She's a loudmouth and a troublemaker.

[ken5050]

You suggest that the Texas GOP is going to hell in a hand basket.. Why?..seems to me that primaries will lead to more conservative candidates emerging..Is this necessarily a bad thing? (g) and re Stenholm, while he might survive, I guess, isn't that more a factor of Charlie's long tenure and name recognition, and his good-ole boy image..