Random Items

Is it just me or does anyone thinks it's curious that Tom DeLay decided to drop out of the Republican leadership race the same week Jack Abramoff was indicted?

Dave McNeely with his usual great political commentary, Two independents could hurt Perry, help Dems:

Jason Stanford, an aide to Bell, said Strayhorn's independent candidacy is ''tremendous'' news for the eventual Democratic nominee and a blow to Perry. With the two independents and Perry in the race, a hard-core Democratic vote of 40 percent could produce a winner, Stanford said.

Democratic Gubernatorial candidate Bob Gammage will be touring the state this week, Gammage Announces Set the Record Straight Tour:

Texas Democrat for Governor Bob Gammage today announced the Set the Record Straight Tour, a four-day, 13-stop airplane whistle stop tour of Texas to officially kick-off the 2006 campaign. Gammage will be joined on the tour by Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor Ben Grant, and Democratic candidate for Comptroller Fred Head.

The Tour will begin in Sugarland Tom DeLay's current district and the district Gammage represented in the U.S. Congress on January 9th, wind through East and Central Texas and finish up in Austin with a wrap-up press conference in Austin on January 12th.

A great article on the state of the governor's race in the Houston Chronicle today, Governor's race is shaping up as much more than Democrat vs. Republican:

THE Texas governor's race has turned into a potentially wild, winner-take-all battle from which the victor is likely to emerge with less than half the vote.

It's a good read and has comments from the major candidates campaigns.

A race like this might make it possible for actual issues to get discussed. My only question is what happens in, say October, if it is looks like Carole ETC staying in the race is going to cause Perry to lose and the Democratic candidate to win. What will she do then? It should be interesting if we have a four horse race.

[DON'T FORGET] TTRC hearing in Austin tomorrow.