| More than seven months after we first wrote about the rumors that Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert may be considering jumpining in the U.S. Senate race if and when the seat becomes open, he rumors continue without the Mayor or his staff doing much to silence them. From the Dallas Observer: I spoke with Leppert's City Hall chief of staff, Chris Heinbaugh, and his political consultant, Mary Woodlief, to tell them I was working on a story about a possible Senate run and to ask for comment from the mayor. The response was radio silence from Leppert—not even a no-comment, just silence, reminding us of his response when we asked for details about his plan for taking over the school system.
The speculation that he will run persists, however, based on the widely held belief that a special election to replace Hutchison would give Leppert a window that won't be open again for another 15 years or more. In other words, it's a chance he can't afford to miss. Greg noted that if Leppert does decide to run, it could harm the candidacy of State Sen. Florence Shapiro, who is from Plano. Leppert's lack of strong Republican Party credentials and very low name ID outside of the Dallas area would make the race a clear uphill battle. But, as the Observer's article said, an open seat does not come along often and if Leppert wants to get to the Senate he may not have many better opportunities. |
