Burnt Orange Report

Pete Laney for HD 47?

By Andrew Dobbs

No, not THE Pete Laney, but his son-- J. Pete Laney of Austin. According to Capitol Inside (subscription required), we can add yet another name to the growing list of potential candidates for Keel's seat:

By this time next year, however, there's a chance that voters in southwest Austin and the nearby hills to the west might realize that former House Speaker Pete Laney has a son named J. Pete who lives in House District 47 and might be its next state representative. J. Pete Laney - not to be confused with James E. "Pete" Laney - is being mentioned as a potential candidate for the seat that Republican State Rep. Terry Keel plans to vacate at the end of next year. (...)

A possible Laney candidacy could have a significant bearing on what the final field looks like in the 2006 Democratic primary for the House seat in southwest Travis County. The pedigree alone would bring instant credibility in a district that tilts slightly Republican but is still within the Democrats' reach. The former speaker, who still represents the Panhandle in the lower chamber, had been a House member for two years when his won was born 30 years ago. In other words, Rep. Laney has been a legislator every day of his son's entire life. The ex-speaker and his wife, Nelda Laney, also have two daughters.

The younger Laney is a member of an Austin law firm that specializes in defending clients in personal injury lawsuits. Laney, who followed his dad's footsteps to Texas Tech University before getting his law degree at Baylor, practices law with Hull Henricks & Macrae, whose senior partner was a key advisor to the Republican sponsors of medical malpractice liability reform during the regular session in 2003. The legal position might help insulate Laney from being bashed as a member of a party associated with trial lawyers who represent plaintiffs in civil court cases.

So why all the interest in this seat? Because it is Austin. This is a town built on politics full of ambitious people who want to see the other side of the legislative process. As soon as any office that looks like it can be a springboard to something else opens up, there is a mad dash to fill it up. HD 47 will see a very healthy Democratic field, including several (Laney for one) who don't even live in the district yet. Right now the best job in Austin is a realtor with a lot of nice houses and apartments in the HD 47 area, because there's a whole lotta people looking to run in that seat.