October 22, 2003
Turner for _______ in 2006!
By Byron LaMasters
Via Greg's Opinion, Jim Turner is looking to run for Governor or US Senate if the redistricting map holds up. The Longview News-Journal reports:
Although he says Texas’ new redistricting plan likely won’t survive legal challenges, Democratic Rep. Jim Turner said he may not run for re-election to the U.S. House and instead run for governor, or mount a 2006 senatorial bid.
Turner, of Crockett, said that he’s “seriously considering” the other offices, depending on how the courts view the redistricting plan.
“I am convinced that Texas can do a lot better in leadership than what we’ve seen,” he told The Dallas Morning News. “I have made no decisions, but my interest is in governor or the U.S. Senate.”
Turner said he would not run for governor to get revenge on GOP Gov. Rick Perry, who called three special sessions to pass the new congressional map. State Democrats staged two legislative boycotts to try and thwart the new map that could give Republicans up to seven more seats in the U.S. House.
As I've said before, there's not too much good that's come out of the Republicans redistricting map. Besides disenfranchising millions of voters and being illegal, the one and only good thing is that it will have a lot of talented Texas Democratic politicians looking for a job after 2004. That will likely translate into a few of them running on the 2006 ticket for governor or US Senate. I'm not saying I'm happy about it, but hopefully there will be enough anger left by 2006 over the GOP shenanigans for a Jim Turner or Chet Edwards (among others) to win back the governorship or a US Senate seat.
Posted by Byron LaMasters at October 22, 2003 12:06 PM
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One could argue that the current map might be part of our problem, strategically speaking. In other states, popular congressional representatives have often made successful statewide candidates. In this last election cycle, consider Jim Talent in MO, Lil' Sununu in NH, Blagojevich in IL, Chambliss in GA, Ehrlich in MD, and Graham in SC. However, here, very few of our congress-persons have run, leaving less-effective, less-experienced low-profile candidates (for example, University regents and state land commissioners).
I'd give Turner or any other representative (except maybe Ron Paul and Sheila Jackson Lee (whom I like, but I fear most Texans do not)) a 5 point "signing-bonus" in the polls.
I think they could be very competitive.
Although he says Texas’ new redistricting plan likely won’t survive legal challenges, Democratic Rep. Jim Turner said he may not run for re-election to the U.S. House and instead run for governor, or mount a 2006 senatorial bid.
Turner's actions seem to belie his words. Why would he give up his seat if he expects the legal challenges to redistricting to prevail?
Methinks Rep. Turner knows he has been redistricted out of a job.
