http://www.swingstateproject.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=4119Burnt Orange has the press release:
"I will be a candidate whether the election is in 2012 or any time before then," said Sharp, who received the highest percentage of votes statewide of any Democrat during the past decade. "Texans face tough challenges that call for innovative solutions, and that's what our campaign is all about."
Sharp, 58, said he is forgoing the step of forming an exploratory committee and will file the required papers on January 1 so that he can begin raising money and campaigning across the state with the dawn of the new year.
Sharp, a former state comptroller, has the distinction of being the last Democrat to ever win a statewide race in Texas, but he's since lost two races for Lieutenant Governor ('98 and '02). The early announcement seems timed to chase off Houston Mayor Bill White, who has also been talked about as a potentially strong candidate for whichever office Kay Bailey Hutchison does not run for:
Houston Mayor Bill White is also mentioned as a potential Democratic candidate. And Sharp's early announcement appeared geared at discouraging White or other Democrats from entering the race. Among Republicans who might run are Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, former Secretary of State Roger Williams, Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams, Fort Worth Rep. Kay Granger and Texas Sen. Florence Shapiro.
If KBH does indeed resign to wage a primary campaign against Gov. Rick Perry, it's also possible that other Democrats can join the fray. Indeed, in the 1993 special election to fill the seat of Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, there were 24 candidates on the first ballot. While Perry will appoint a replacement for Hutchison, I doubt that whoever he picks will have enough gravitas to hold off a swarm of fellow Republicans who'd want to take a crack at the seat. This one could be wild.
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