Annuit Coeptis Endorses Michael Williams For Texas Senate

Annuit Coeptis ^ | 05/25/2009 | Paul Zannucci

[Jeliota]

An interesting battle is taking shape in Texas, long a stronghold for conservatives. Changing demographics and popular Democrats with deep pockets are going to make holding the seat of departing Kay Bailey Hutchison difficult. Losing another vote in the Senate, particularly from red state Texas, could be disastrous.

[BillyBoy]

I agree Williams would be a breath of fresh air compared to most of the laid-back, go-along-to-get-along type Republican Senators we have now. I was never a fan of Hutchison or Cornyn like some freepers. They generally vote the right way but I'd perfer a Peter Fitzgerald type who is going to stand up and make some noise against the D.C. insider crowd and expose shenanigans back home.

Out of all the elected state offices, seems to me that it would be pretty unusual to go from state railroad commissioner to U.S. Senator, though I've seen stranger (like the IL Dems using "Recorder of Deeds" as a springboard to U.S. Senate and Secretary of State). Maybe Williams can use the U.S. Senate position to do some good things in the next six years and then run for Governor.

I can't believe Governor Good Hair is still there in 2009. When Bush first stepped down in 2000 and Perry took the reigns, I figured he'd be a seat warmer and hold the job for 2 years or so.

Disagree on appointing Williams to the seat prematurely. Voters tend to dislike that, having an unelected Senator representing them could cause a backlash when the seat is up for re-election.

[mtrott]

So, pardon me for my ignorance, but is Hutchison leaving office early? When is her current term up?

Williams sounds like I guy I could really support for US Senator or Texas governor. It’d be great if he could be governor a few years and run against zero in 2012. That would be an interesting election.

[fieldmarshaldj]

"Out of all the elected state offices, seems to me that it would be pretty unusual to go from state railroad commissioner to U.S. Senator"

It has happened just once before, in 1922 when Democrat Earle Mayfield made the jump (beating the 67-year old incumbent, Charles Culberson, who had held it since 1899). Unfortunately, Mayfield was also the Klan-backed candidate. He was promptly defeated in the 1928 primary by Congressman Tom Connally (Connie Mack's step-grandfather), who went on to hold the seat for the next quarter-century.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Hutchison’s term isn’t up until 2012. She’ll have to resign if she is elected Governor (at which point there will probably be a fight between her and Perry over who gets to appoint, especially if she waits to do it until after the Nov 2010 election or Jan 2011 swearing-in).

[BillyBoy]

Probably most Texans don't even know who their state railroad commissioners are, because it's an odd department to have an election for (my guess is the reason it's an elected, rather than an appointed post, has to do with Texas’ historic role in the old west period when they developed a national railroad). Other unusual positions that some states choose to make an elected office are state insurance commissioner, state director of public lands, and state forestry director. Here in Crook County, Illinois, the lowest elected “countywide” office is Water Reclamation District Commissioner.

I read somewhere that Illinois has more rail traffic than any other state in the nation (it certainly looks like it in this map: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/Class1rr.png) Or maybe it just was that Illinois leads the nation in transit, or something.

I don't think we even have a state railroad commission, the equivalent that people have heard of anyway, is the Central Transit Authority. That's an appointed board, and the scary thing is that Judas Barr Too-pinka talked her way into being appointed after she was defeated for Governor (just can't give up sucking at the taxpayer teat I guess), and might be using it to prep for a “comeback” to elected statewide again in 2010 as Treasurer or Comptroller (http://www.rtachicago.com/CMS400Min/uploadedFiles/JudyBaarTopinkaBio.pdf)

By the way, Williams has a video on his campaign site of his speech at the Texas Tea Party. If he gives speeches
like that in the well of the Senate, he'll be fantastic.

http://www.williamsfortexas.com/

[fieldmarshaldj]

The RR Commission doesn’t even have any oversight of the railroads anymore (that was taken away in 2005). This has an adequate description of their role:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Railroad_Commission

Williams mentioned this in a speech I saw from either late last year or earlier this year. The name of the commission should be changed to the Energy Commission.

[BillyBoy]

You're right, that's confusing. They're not even related to the Texas Dept. of Transportation. Too-pinka actually does oversee all public transportation issues (buses and trains) in her role at the RTA.

Williams actually has a lot more clout than I realized. The Oil Industry is huge in Texas.

[BillyBoy]

I assumed his role was similar to this, except at a statewide level:

http://www.rtachicago.com/aboutrta/overview.asp

Seems the two are not related at all.

[Impy]

“It seems that Texas Republicans have an embarrassment of riches.”

Too bad none of them are currently Senators or Governor.

I hope Williams runs, there hasn’t been a bow tie since Paul Simon or a conservative black man in the modern era.

[PhiKapMom]

I love Williams. His speech at the Convention was great! He will make a great addition to the Senate to replace Kay Bailey. He will drive Cornyn nuts which suits me just fine. Hope you guys have someone waiting to run against him the next time.

[Impy]

I wish I lived in Texas.

I live in the heart of the beast.

Anyway Cornyn is doing an awful job as NRSC chairman. I hope he faces a primary challenge or just retries in 2014.