Weekend Speaker’s Race Update: Vote Switching, Corporate Interference & More

It’s the final weekend before gavel down of the 80th Legislature, and that means that the race for Speaker of the Texas House is in its final hours.

First, let’s take a look at a couple of people who have dropped off Tom Craddick’s pledge list. First, Rep. Armando “Mando” Martinez, has decided to withhold his pledge until the day of the election. It seems that a pledge card isn’t good enough for Speaker Craddick, and that Martinez has been innundated with calls about whether or not he is firmly in the Craddick camp.

Evidently, the overzealous support of Craddick’s callers has helped erode support. Martinez’s statement:

After a brief phone conversation with Speaker Craddick ‘I have withheld my pledge until January 9th . This decision was made after receiving numerous phone calls from his supporters. I have always believed that there should never be a question of one’s pledge, but when you are continuously questioned about that pledge, it has led me to believe that my pledge was not good enough, therefore I have decided to make my decision on the house floor.
I have been asked about supporting Representative Jim Pitts for speaker. In the past I have worked in both the House and in Mr. Pitts’ committee. Based on my positive experiences with Jim Pitts, I believe he is a good candidate for speaker.

Chuck Hopson (D-Jacksonville), who Brian McCall (R-Plano) mentioned in his press conference the other day as someone receiving “25 calls a day” has also switched his support from Craddick to Pitts:

We have been told that Speaker Craddick would be more open and balanced next session, but his actions clearly speak louder than his words.

I want to vote for the best person for the job for the Speaker of the House and Jim Pitts is the obvious choice.

These switches are clear indicators that, if there is a secret ballot, Craddick is finally—at long last—toast. For one thing, Hopson has a lot to lose if he votes against Craddick and Craddick wins, because Craddick will find yet another opponent for him in the 2008 General Election.

However, there is a new twist to the “secret ballot” battle. Rep. Will Hartnett (R-Dallas), Chair of the House Judiciary Committee and also a member pledged to Craddick, has filed a resolution to provide that the vote for speaker be conducted by a “random roll call.” It’s far from a secret ballot and a bad move for the Craddick allies. There is some possibility still that the rules from the Speaker’s election from the 79th could be adopted. But, with a secret ballot, Craddick is out.

Aside from that, Quorum Report is reporting that corporate suits have been sending Republican legislators letters asking them to support Speaker Craddick. [letter, .pdf]

In a letter to an uidentified representative, Vance Miller, President of The Henry S. Miller Companies, wrote:

I am very disappointed in the selfish attempt to sow discord with a few of our fellow Republicans and coalesce with partisan Democrats to defeat the Speakers [sic] re-election. That action could impact the Texas House of Representatives’ effectiveness during the forth coming [sic] session.

Aside from having difficulties with punctuation and spelling, the letter could be construed as illegal under the Speaker Statute.

QR also reports that Craddick’s new pledge card require that pledgers support rule changes in the speaker’s race to allow for a roll call vote as proposed by Hartnett.

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