Bill White Says He Will Announce His Plans Within A Week
Vince Leibowitz | Dec 07, 2008 | Comments 10 |
Houston Mayor Bill White told Houston NBC affiliate KPRC-TV that will made a decision on whether he’ll run for Texas Governor or U.S. Senate in 2010 within the week.
Democrats in the state’s largest county are already stepping up to support White:
He said he’ll make a decision about running for governor or for the U.S. Senate in the next week.
“Those are two things that I’ve been weighing,” said White.
The chairman of the Harris County Democratic Party said the party would happily support White in a statewide race.
“I’ve talked to enough Democrats to know that they’re very excited to see a Bill White candidacy, whether it’s for senate or for the governor’s race,” Gerry Birnberg said.
Houston Mayor Bill White
Enough Democrats in Harris County, maybe. White still has poor name ID–as, frankly, anyone in his position would–outside the Texas Gulf Coast.
And, as with any candidate, Mayor White does have baggage, and it doesn’t do much to paint him as a particularly reliable progressive.
This early in the 2010 cycle we’re by no means out to start an “Anybody But Bill White” movement, but before voters start deciding White is their guy simply because so many pundits and Party leaders mention his name, consider just a portion of the baggage White will bring with him (every candidate, of course, brings baggage, and a primary is sometimes a contest to find the one with the least amount that can still win and is worth having).
Most recently, of course, there has been the problem of the Hilton Americans being used as collateral to secure a $300 million priomissory note on the grossly underfunded Municipal Employees Pension System. Actually, the debt on the fund was more than $340 million because White’s administration deferred interest payments on the debt early in his term. While it is probably not unheard-of to use a hotel (which the city is now trying to unload) to secure a note, that it is related to the pension fund is…well, scary because people’s livelihoods are at issue.
Then, there is the whole “Safe-Clear” program. This forced towing program, which was created with public safety in mind, hasn’t exactly been the shining star of White’s tenure in office. This is something that folks in East and West Texas won’t understand or cotton to–and White is running in a state where you’ve got to have East and West Texas to win statewide.
There was also the situation with the Center for the Retarded, which had a 100-year lease with the City. White and the City tried to terminate the center’s lease under a provision of the city charter, and the outcry was so bad White had to change course. In an election cycle where Texas’ failing state schools for the disabled will be on everyone’s mind, this could be a bad bag to carry.
Too, White was in the energy business and Deputy Secretary of Energy in the Clinton administration. His opponents will have a field day with both. There is probably a U-Haul truck of documents that could be obtained through a FOIA request or from the National Archives relating to White’s tenure. And, though his tenure had no significant controversies, there is no question that, as with everything in politics, there is a way it can be used against him.
Related posts:
Filed Under: 2010 Texas Elections • Featured
[...] Vince at Capitol Annex notes that Houston Mayor Bill White is expected to announce his plans in regard to 2010 this week. [...]
[...] Vince at Capitol Annex notes that Houston Mayor Bill White is expected to announce his plans in regard to 2010 this week. [...]
[...] Vince at Capitol Annex notes that Houston Mayor Bill White is expected to announce his plans in regard to 2010 this week. [...]