TX SEN: Bill White Hits The Valley, Meets With Business Leaders

Houston Mayor Bill White hit the Rio Grand Valley this week in preparation for his Senate run which may come as early as next year depending upon when Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison decides to resign to facilitate her likely run for Governor.

White’s Valley tour, however, wasn’t a typical sit-down with Grassroots Democrats and party leaders, as the Rio Grande Guardian notes:

McAllen businessman Alonzo Cantu hosted the private meeting at Pepper’s Restaurant in McAllen.

White is a former Texas Democratic Party chair. Another Democrat eyeing the seat currently occupied by U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, is former Comptroller John Sharp. Hutchison may resign her seat in order to run for Governor, in which case there would be a special election.

“Alonzo has not committed to Bill White or John Sharp at this stage. He simply wanted to get some business people together to listen to what Bill White had to say,” said La Joya Mayor Billy Leo, who attended the meeting. [Emphasis added]

Leo said about 20 people attended the meeting, including state Sen. Eddie Lucio, D-Brownsville, and former Hidalgo County Judge Ramon Garcia. A number of physicians were also present, Leo said.

So, White visited the Rio Grande Valley and had a meeting with business people, doctors, and a few elected officials.

This, too, is interesting:

Garcia confirmed his presence and said he was enthusiastically backing White to be the next U.S. senator from Texas.

“As Democrats, we need to focus on winning this race. We need to look at the future of Texas over the next 20 years. If we win this race it takes Texas on a very different path,” Garcia said.

I don’t see how Texas takes a “different path” that it is presently on with Bill White as a U.S. Senator, to be quite frank.

But wait, there is more:

Garcia ran through some of the reasons he believes Democrats should unite behind White.

“Bill White has excelled in everything he has done, as a managing partner in one of the most prestigious law firms in the country, as Under Secretary for Energy in the Clinton administration, as Texas Democratic Party chair, and as mayor of Houston.”

First off, the media has already reminded us that White did anything but “excel” as Chair of the Texas Democratic Party.

Second, La Joya Mayor Billy Leo hits the nail on the head about Bill White:

Leo said White will probably “go down well”’ with the business community. “I was impressed with his speech. I think he will make a strong candidate who will appeal to the business community. But, I am not sure how Bill White does with the grassroots of the party,” Leo said.

The bottom line here, especially with a Special Election free-for-all a distinct possibility, is that Texas Democrats need someone who will unite the Party’s base and reach out to independents, etc. Bill White won’t unite Democrats. And, with so many Republicans in the field, he’ll never get the kind of business community/Republican support he’s enjoyed as Mayor of Houston.

The business community may fund a campaign, but they will not elect a U.S. Senator in this type of election. White’s candidacy will basically just fracture Democrats.

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3. TX SEN: Noriega Earns Endorsement Of Valley Law Enforcement Officers
4. TX SEN: Railroad Commissioner Michael L. Williams Enters Race For Hutchison’s Seat
5. Bi-Partisan Redistricting Commission Bill Hits Senate Roadblock