Radnofsky Announces Candidacy For Attorney General

Houston attorney Barbara Ann Radnofsky, the Democratic Party’s 2006 nominee for U.S. Senate, formally announced her 2010 campaign for Texas Attorney General today at a luncheon in Houston.

Radnofsky has entered a race that is currently a wild card, as it is unclear whether she’ll be running against incumbent Texs Attorney General Greg Abbott or another Republican.

Abbott is widely rumored to be considering a bid for Lieutenant Governor regardless of whether or not Lt. Governor David Dewhurst retires (as is speculated by some in Republican circles) or decides to make a bid for Kay Bailey Hutchison’s U.S. Senate Seat–a job he has coveted since 2001.

Assuming Abbott decides to move up, two Republicans have already emerged as contenders for his job: Congressman Mike McCaul (R-Austin) and former solicitor general Ted Cruz. Although McCaul has done a 180 since January and said that he now is not considering a run for AG, sources fimilar with McCaul’s campaign allege that claim is a well-orchestrated media fake-out.

For the eventual Democratic nominee, either one of those candidates could prove formidable opponents. McCaul, whose wife Linda is the daughter of Clear Channel Chairman Lowry Mays, will have infinate sources of funding from corporate PACs and the communications industry in addition to his vast personal fortune (in 2008, he was the 11th wealthiest person in the United States Congress with a net worth of over $20 million). Cruz is a darling of the state’s religious right for successfully winning a number of “morality” cases before the U.S. Supreme Court including one related to a monument honoring the Ten Commandments on the grounds of the Texas Capitol.

Radnofsky, however, has been preparing for her 2010 run since her race in 2006 ended. She has raised money for Democrats across the state, and made numerous personal appearances and held fundraisers for candidates. In addition, as a major Hillary Clinton fundraiser in Texas in 2008, she could draw on some support from Clinton or her surrogates.

Radnfosky may not be alone in the race for Attorney General on the Democratic side, though. Depending upon how the remainder of the ticket shakes out, word in Austin is that State Sen. Kirk Watson (D-Austin) could make another run for the post. Other Democrats who have been mentioned as potential contenders including former Harris County Democratic Party Chair Larry Vaselka. Vaselka, however, reportedly took himself out of the running for AG more than a year ago and is now looking for a possible appointment as United States Attorney instead.

State Rep. Patrick Rose (D-Dripping Springs) is another name frequently mentioned in context with the AG’s race. Conventional wisdom, however, says he’ll sit out any statewide races until 2012 or 2014.

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