For First Time In Years, Speaker’s Race Could Be A Threesome, Foursome

Rep. Jim Pitts (R-Waxahachie), chair of the powerful House Appropriations Committee and a staunch Craddick lieutenant, has announced he will challenge House Speaker Tom Craddick for the speakership.

Pitts is clearly the “Craddick substitute” candidate: the same far-right wing ideals and uber-conservative establishment credentials without most of the baggage (and respected by more Democrats).

And, for the first time since 1925, more than two candidates for Speaker could be nominated on the floor of the House.

Technically, if Rep. Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston), is nominated from the floor (as I expect her to be as early vote-getting by her would result in no one candidate getting a landslide victory), it will be the first time since 1909 and the start of the 31st Legislature that more than three candidates were nominated for the speakership from the floor. That year, Sam Rayburn, John A. Mobley, A.M. Kennedy, and John Marshall vied for the position. Marshall defeated Rayburn, Kennedy and Mobley, 104-2-4-1.
Here’s what Pitts has to say about his candidacy:

“I told Speaker Craddick that I didnt think he could get the numbers that he needed (to be re-elected as head of the House). I dont think Brian (McCall) is getting the numbers. And I’ve got a consensus group that has asked me to run,” Pitts said in an interview minutes after he mailed his paperwork for the race.

With Pitts in the race, it may be true that McCall’s candidacy is now dead in the water. After all, it stands to reason that if Craddick is smelling his own blood in the water and wants to preserve the House in a fashion beffitting that of the last four years, then Pitts is his probably his best bet as a “straw candidate.” Given that Pitts will be in the same league as Craddick when it comes to possible retribution for wayward Republicans (if Craddick wins, Pitts keeps his chairmanship, if in fact Craddick is egging him on), Pitts has suddenly become the leader in the Republican camp aside from Craddick.

It would stand to reason, of course, that those Democrats not pledged to Senfroina Thompson, would pledge to McCall over Pitts.

The bottom line of course, is whether or not this spells the end of a Craddick Speakership (not to mention thwarts Talton’s run).

I still say no, and say so now more than ever. The anti-Craddick vote will now be too fractured to result in Craddick’s defeat.

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