Tuesday, January 02, 2007

McCall and Pitts May Join Forces

Clay Robison at The Chron is working this one meticulously. He reported early this morning that Brian McCall and Jim Pitts, two Anyone But Craddick contenders for the Texas State House speaker’s seat, are engaged in continuous discussions. Democrat Greg Eiland of Galveston is apparently mediating this discussion

Eiland, it will be recalled, was a vocal opponent in the Craddick/DeLay engineered second in a decade redistricting that resulted in Democratic losses in the 2004 general election.

Says The Chron:
“I don't think there is a deal. I know they have been talking and continue to talk," said Rep. Craig Eiland, D-Galveston, who met with the two insurgents — Reps. Brian McCall, R-Plano, and Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie — for lunch in Dallas on Sunday.”
Of the number of pledges he has obtained, McCall remarked “I have the votes I need. I don't have the votes I want.”

The votes he needs, 75, is one shy of what would have been needed had Dr. Anthony DiNovo not been the lone Democratic candidate in the HD29 special election in which no candidate received a plurality. This forces a runoff election between the top two finishers in the race. The runoff election, however, will not be conducted not until after the vote for speaker.

A new and interesting development is the possible entrance into the race of House Ways and Means Chairman Jim Keffer, R-Eastland. Keffer is a key member of Craddick’s leadership team. Keffer’s entrance would be a signal of surrender by the Craddick alliance.

Meanwhile, Aaron Pena D-Austin continues to claim that he knows who the winner of this race is, and that it was won over the weekend.
“Tuesday should begin the all out assault on the various members, with particular emphasis on the swing votes. I still see this race as having been successfully won over the weekend.”
It’s like Christmas all over again. What IS in that big bulky wrapped package?

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