In Email, Hartnett Urges Craddick Supporters To “Keep Powder Dry,” Not Participate In Media Polls
By Vince Leibowitz on Nov 16, 2008 in 2009 Speaker's Race ![[Post to Twitter]](/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/icons/tt-twitter.png){kind=icon}
Tweet This Post 
[UPDATED: 11/18/08 11:29 a.m. to include a much better photo of Rep. Hartnett; we couldn't find a good one with Google Image Search, and Rep. Hartnett himself was kind enough to send us one—VL]
In an email to House members supporting House Speaker Tom Craddick (R-Midland) which was forwarded to bloggers and the media by at least one House member, State Rep. Will Hartnett (R-Dallas), a Craddick supporter, urged members not to participate in any media polls attempting to get a “headcount” in the Speaker’s race, and to “keep their powder dry.”
Here is the full text of the email:
I’ve heard that reporters may be polling House members to get a headcount in the speaker’s race. For a variety of tactical reasons, I recommend that, for the time being, you not discuss with the media your decision to support Tom Craddick. As you know, Tom prefers to keep his cards close to his chest until the optimal time to show them! Best, Will
Tweet This Post ![[Post to Ping.fm]](/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/icons/tt-ping.png){kind=icon}
Ping This Post
Vince, I hope that the photo of me that you posted is not an editorial comment, because I don’t normally look that sour! (Your uncle David will vouch for that, I hope). I actually have some decent photos of myself, if you need one. Of course, if you really are trying to make me look grouchy, don’t forget that I have your Mineola High School yearbook photo! Will Hartnett
Rep. Hartnett,
Thanks for reading and–more importantly–thanks for leaving a comment. I promise I wasn’t trying to make you look bad with the photo, but you are one of the few State Representatives I’ve Googled recently who have very little in the way of something other than a mug shot in Google’s Image Search (mugshots don’t work well, unless they are large, because the image within the posts has to be 290 px wide–no more and no less–or it throws the columns out of alignment.
And where on earth did you pick up an MHS yearbook?