Posted on 02/01/2005 10:00:06 AM PST by Theodore R.
Bonilla says he'll seek Hutchison's job, if she leaves Associated Press
LUBBOCK (AP) — U.S. Rep. Henry Bonilla said Tuesday he would seek Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's job if she decides to leave office.
Bonilla, R-San Antonio, made the announcement from Washington during telephone interviews with Lubbock radio stations.
Bonilla, 50, has represented the 23rd District, which includes most of West Texas, for more than a decade.
Hutchison is widely believed to be considering a challenge to Gov. Rick Perry in 2006. Both are Republicans. A Hutchison spokesman had no immediate comment.
"If she makes a decision on her own to move on, then I am in that race, no ifs, ands or buts," Bonilla said.
Bonilla has been contemplating a Senate run for some time and has a broad base of Republican support, said former Lubbock Congressman Larry Combest, who appeared with Bonilla in the interviews.
Combest was Republican chairman of the House Agriculture Committee until his retirement two years ago.
"I think this gives us the greatest chance in recent history that I can think of to have a United States senator who's been so involved in agriculture as Henry has been, and knows so many people out in West Texas," Combest said.
Pete Sessions had huge name credit.
Especially after De-FROSTing North Texas.
Well, I'll give it a shot, though I am utterly unqualified to comment on Texas politics. Heck, being unqualified to comment on an issue has never stopped me before.
A Perry-Hutchison primary in the Gubernatorial race would be interesting. Seems to me as a distant observer that supporters of each consider the other to be a RINO -- a country club RINO with insufficient pro-life credentials in the case of Hutchison (according to Perry supporters); and a populist, only recently Republican-registered, appointer of moderates in the case of Perry (according to Hutchison supporters). Edge to Hutchison, should she decide to leave the Senate; she has less baggage than does Perry. And Perry had a tough act to follow; I suspect that Dubya, who was a popular Governor, looks even better in retrospect to Texans, and Perry suffers by comparison, rather like the folks who took over from John Wooden or Dean Smith (to sneak in a basketball analogy). So Perry, for that reason alone, is vulnerable in a GOP Gubernatorial Primary.
But that wasn't the question. A GOP Senate Primary in Texas... could be a hell of an event. I confess I don't know what the rules are with respect to runoffs, but I imagine so many GOP bigs would jump in that a runoff would be a good bet. While there might be a 10% chance of a Dem capturing the Governor's chair (if the dems run an old-fashioned "Tory" candidate), I'd have to say the chances of a Dem winning a Senate race in Texas are practically nil. Lloyd Bentsen ran to the right (in some ways) of George H. W. Bush, and successfully so, but that was then (1970), and this is now. Senate races have been nationalized to such an extent that even a conservative Dem won't win in Texas.
So, who wins? I have no idea. Perry could opt out of a Gubernatorial reelection bid, in effect trying to trade jobs with Kay, but that seems unlikely. Why not Tom DeLay? That would shake things up, if nothing else.
If DeLay doesn't run for the Senate (and lack of speculation on that possibility leads me to believe he may have already said he won't), then my money would probably be on Bonilla.
Kay doesn't have a prayer against Perry in Texas. Perry has given Texas Republicans everything they're ever wanted -- a best tort reform in the country, congressional redistricting that resulted in 5 new Republican Texas congressman, a balanced budget without a tax increase despite a huge deficit, just to name a few. Plus, he's right on the social issues, including abortion, whereas Kay's pro-choice position makes her wildly unpopular in the social conservative circles.
Perry has been endorsed by every other statewide official, the leaders of all the biggest conservative coalitions and has the support of the state's biggest financial backers.
Kay has no room to run. That makes this whole discussion moot, unless of course she retires.
Sessions, Barton, Bonilla...
They are all well known and would make darn good candidates.
ALSO....our most cool and honorable Railroad Commish...
Big Mike!
If the Texas GOP establishment and Bush really want an Hispanic in, than Bonilla will have the money. Whether he will sell in a GOP primary, I don't know. Whether he is ready for prime time, I don't know. I have not heard him speak. Barton has been around a long time, and is well respected. Whether he has big money constituency groups who will support him, I don't know.
Finally, I don't know who if anyone is independently very wealthy, like about 40% of the Senators are, who could independently finance himself or herself.
Maybe Deport, or Dog Gone or Sinkspur know more, about what I clearly don't
I also think Perry would beat Hutchison on the strength of redistricting, property tax caps, and the fact that he's already been endorsed by most Republicans with statewide offices.
Agreed.
Perry is no RINO.
Perry has done the Republicans very well here.
Texas was just named Top State in the Nation to do business thanks to the work of Gov. Perry.
http://www.governor.state.tx.us/divisions/press/pressreleases/PressRelease.2004-11-01.2313
He has been very business friendly.
New businesses...new jobs....and more revenue for the state WITHOUT raising taxes. Increase the tax base...not taxes. Gov. Perry seems to understand that really well.
Companies that are hurting...can't dump it on Rick. He has done everything to develope business in this state.
He has had to fight off dems and some republicans to get it done.
There are a lot of Republicans down in Austin right now
(Burt Solomons for example) who need to be watched like a hawk...or they will push every tax increase they can think of.
I agree. Bonilla could get it done.
His name is known around the state.
And the man can campaign!
There's no way DeLay runs for Senate. His job is far more powerful than any senator's except for Frist.
Frankly, I don't think Hutchison will leave, making all this moot. She's firmly on the record as being more pro-choice than Perry, and it's not too often that someone who is more of a social liberal wins in the Texas primary election. It can happen in underpublicized judicial elections, but it won't happen in a Perry/Hutchison matchup.
Perry has already locked up all the major backing of the state officials in a pre-emptive strike. Unless KBH wants to leave office in a blaze of glory, I think she'll decide to stay in DC for one more term, and Henry Bonilla will still be knocking at the door.
Perry has also called for State Inspector Generals at the state agencies. Which is a darn good thing.
That's about the best way to fight off government waste.
http://www.rickperry.org/
That is the funniest thing I've read tonight. He is one of the 3-5 biggest RINO's in the state.
There are many people in Republican organizations up here in the metro-mess that think Kay will stay in the Senate as well.
It's the safest place she can hide some of her less than conservative ideas. Not to mention that the Senate is a sweet ride...and she knows it.
Gov. Perry has been pretty strong on pro life stuff.
And that alone could put him over Kay.
We have all talked about Bonilla for Senator....but it would not be surprising...somewhere down the road...if he ran for Governor. Although I don't know if he will do it now.
no, he's not.
Some Texas Pubbies might have a "big tent" philosophy when it comes to "RINO's." Some of them put the bar up pretty high as to what a true blue Pubbie is. This RINO would probably be viewed as near Marxist in that camp. :)
He's got my vote. He's been my Congressman for years and I have no complaints
Anglo San Antonio is close to being one of the most GOP zones in larger cities of anywhere in the US, maybe numero uno in that department. I just thought you would like to know. The numbers are amazing.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.