Burnt Orange Report

Hutchison Hires Heavy Hitters, But Won't Commit To Race Against Perry

By Vince Leibowitz

Smack me with a notebook like a slow-moving staffer of the state's defunct treasury department and call me wrong.

Evidently my wish that Kay Bailey Hutchison will just retire and go away isn't going to come to pass. She's hiring people.

Texas' senior senator this week hired two new campaign operatives--Scott Howell of Dallas and Terry Sullivan--both veterans of raunchy senate battles across the nation. Howell also worked for the Bush/Cheney campaign.

The Dallas Morning News notes:

U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison has hired two nationally known political heavyweights to launch a statewide campaign – a possible indication she's gearing up for a fierce primary challenge to Gov. Rick Perry instead of the virtual waltz she would expect if seeking re-election.

The senator's spokesman, David Beckwith, confirmed the hires Thursday but declined to say what race the new campaign staff is preparing for.

"Whatever she runs for in 2006, it's time to start assembling the campaign team," Mr. Beckwith said.

The new campaign manager is Terry Sullivan, who most recently ran the successful campaign for U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina, a staunch conservative. Mr. Sullivan guided Mr. DeMint's campaign through what he described as a "brutal, competitive and heated" Republican primary.

The senator also hired Scott Howell of Dallas to direct the media campaign. Mr. Howell has worked for the Bush-Cheney campaign, as well as those of five other Republican senators, including Saxby Chambliss of Georgia.

That campaign, against incumbent Democrat Max Cleland, was particularly rough. Mr. Cleland, a disabled Vietnam War veteran, was coupled in ads with Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden.

For her previous campaigns, Ms. Hutchison has used ad-maker David Weeks of Austin. He also does the campaign ads for Mr. Perry, who is a longtime friend.

Mr. Beckwith declined to say why Ms. Hutchison was switching, other than to call Mr. Howell "a creative media person."

[...]

Mr. Sullivan said he is prepared to run a re-election campaign or tough primary race against a sitting governor. "I'm with her for whatever she wants to do," Mr. Sullivan said.

This little saga is full of contradictions. First, if she's not running for senate, why did she hire veterans of senate campaigns? Second, if she is running against Perry, it makes sense that she's not going to use the same ad people as him.

Too, the hires were announced shortly after her likely opponent--were Hutchison to say in the senate--Barbara Radnofsky, announced she'd raised $200,000 in one month's time.

However, more signs point to Hutchison opposing Perry than staying in the senate, in spite of the heavy hitters she just hired.

On a visit to Houston Friday, Hutchison said that her new campaign hires are "normal preparation for a race," declining to say whether she was preparing to challenge Gov. Rick Perry.

"I have not decided exactly what I am going to do," said the Republican, appearing at a Houston homeless shelter with federal Housing Secretary Alphonso Jackson to announce $64 million in grants to fight homelessness. "I just don't think this is the time for politics."

However, I disagree with the statement by the AP that, "If she seeks re-election to the Senate, she would be expected to win easily."

Even for the Breck Girl, after another two years of Bush, an economy showing no signs of recovery, and the Texas Democratic Party as active and vibrant as it is, I'm not sure any Republican statewide can say they'll win "easily." Especially not with a legitimate opponent. With Ron Kirk out of the running and Houston's Radnofsky the likely nominee at this point, Hutchison will have a tough race on her hands. Further, though Republicans like Henry Bonilla say they will run if Hutchison doesn't, look for Hutchison to have a GOP Primary opponent if she stays where she is. It is highly likely that her feud with Perry has poisioned her with many of the state's far-right Republicans, who happen to control the Texas GOP at this point.