Posted on 10/15/2007 9:27:32 PM PDT by trumandogz
WASHINGTON — Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison told a Texas magazine she will not seek re-election after this term and may leave the Senate as early as 2009, according to excerpts published on the magazine's Web blog on Monday.
Hutchison told Texas Monthly in an interview to be fully published in December that she would end her Senate career in 2012, whether or not she runs for governor.
Stepping down in two years "has to be considered," the Texas Republican senior senator is quoted as saying in the excerpts.
Hutchison declined an interview request from The Associated Press, but a spokesman for the senator confirmed the accuracy of the magazine excerpts.
If she does run for governor and wins, once she steps down as senator a temporary appointment would be made by the governor to fill the Senate seat until an election is held. It's conceivable she would get to make that interim selection if she's the incoming governor.
"Is it better for Texas for me to leave early and give someone else a chance to start building seniority before the class of 2013? I think it probably is," Hutchison said.
Hutchison said is not yet a candidate for governor, but would like to be.
"It's too early to be gearing up. I don't want to peak in 2007 for a 2010 race. Would I like to do it? Yes. A lot of things have to happen to make it a reality. You can't plan that far ahead with certainty," she said.
She said to finally commit she'd have to feel the time was right to leave the Senate, that she has an agenda and is "ready to go."
Hutchison was actively considering challenging Gov. Rick Perry, also a Republican, in 2006. But she backed out of what was likely to be a bruising and divisive race.
"It was not the right time for Texas and it was probably not the right time for the Republican Party to have that kind of challenge," she said.
But now, "there's not anyone who could really make a case to me that this would be divisive for the Republican Party in a way that would make me step back," she said.
When she was elected in 1993, Hutchison pledged to serve only two terms and declared herself a supporter of term limits.
But last year after she gave up the gubernatorial race and declared she was seeking a third term, Hutchison said she still supports term limits but wouldn't bind herself unless other senators also left after two terms.
Hutchison won a special election in 1993 for the Senate seat vacated by Lloyd Bentsen. She won her first full term the next year and was re-elected in 2000 and again in 2006.
Vested pension.......no problem.
Perry has to go.
Ron Paul for Texas Governor :)
Just like when the Dims lost power (and control of the gravy train), the Pubs are jumping ship.
Not in my lifetime, I hope!
It was not so long ago Texas was solidly Democrat. Of course, back then the Texas Democratic party was politically to the right of the national Republican party.
... jumping ship at an alarming rate. Unless it brings in fresh blood, new faces, strong principles, great character...
Time was when you had to vote in the Democrat primaries to have any “say” in Texas politics.
My parents were here in Texas (West Texas at the time) under Kay Bailey.
Came a point when a candidate had to be a Republican to get elected. Good Hair Perry was a Democrat throughout the Reagan years. So was it George W. Bush’s brand of Republicanism that convered him? Or maybe the shame of Bill Clinton’s Democratic Party leadership? Or maybe he saw it easier to attain office with an R by his name.
She runs and wins the gubernatorial election, then appoints Perry to finish her term in the Senate.
Outside of Lake Jackson this dude couldn’t get elected to dog catcher in Texas.
I'd say this one is a little different. She wanted to get out even before the Dems won the Senate but she was talked out of running for Governor in 2006. The talk is that she hates Washington and she decided some time ago that she'd really like to return to Texas.
However, when it was clear Perry wanted to run again, she decided to run for re-election in the Senate to secure that seat for the party.
Kay is wobbly on the touchy-feely issues but, otherwise, she's a solid Republican who usually votes the party line. She defeated a smear prosecution by Ronnie Earle (yes, the same DA that's hounded Tom DeLay) and has been a team player most of the time.
And it's not like she's leaving before the 2008 elections. The earliest she'd go is 2009 so she can run for Governor. I'm not ready to endorse her but I wish her well.
Tall Texan...this Texan endorses your thoughts on KBH 100%..
He proclaims, "Take the Alamo for example, where as, ONLY 200 Texans took on OVER 5,000 Mexicans, fighting down to the LAST man!"
A mild-mannered gentleman from Massachusetts sitting across the bar joins in, "Hey! You guys from Texas aren't the ONLY ones with a proud heritage. Ever hear of a guy named, Paul Revere?"
The Texan is thinking outloud, "Hmmm ... Paul Revere ... Paul Revere ..."
"Oh YEAH! Ain't he the guy who ran for HELP?"
BITE YOUR TONGUE
What a croc.
Glad she's leaving. Too bad she can't be forced to reimburse the state for the costs of the special election needed to replace her.
Here! Here! I’ve written Sen. Kay Bailey in the past to tell her I would not vote for her to be dog catcher. She needs to put public office out of her head.
She could probably sell that to Perry and get him to leave the race for Gov open for KBH to run without an incumbent.
The good news about this scenario is it would also leave the Gov. primary open without an incumbent - which could make it easier for a Conservative to win the primary. Now is the time for a Conservative candidate for Texas Gov. to start campaigning and fund raising.
Yes, that is exactly what is happening.
Sadly, it only exacerbates the problem--and greatly delays recovery.
Thanks for your comment on KBH. I agree.
If she runs for Governor, she would be a formidable candidate.
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