Governor Hutchison ?

Every day, Kay Bailey Hutchison is sounding more and more like a candidate for the Texas governorship in 2010. She just said in a Texas Monthly interview that she will not run for re-election for the US Senate in 2012. In fact, she told TM that she's considering resigning from the senate in 2010.

Hutchison had strongly considered running for governor in 2006, but backed out. She told TM, "It was not the right time for Texas and it was probably not the right time for the Republican Party to have that kind of challenge." She went on to say that now, "there's not anyone who could really make a case to me that this would be divisive for the Republican Party in a way that would make me step back."

Then she backed off just a bit saying, "It's too early to be gearing up. I don't want to peak in 2007 for a 2010 race. Would I like to do it? Yes. A lot of things have to happen to make it a reality. You can't plan that far ahead with certainty."

I think most Democrats have been hoping that this would not happen -- I know I have. One blogger even told me that she's too old, and won't run. But it now looks like that was all just wishful thinking. She's done everything but make the official announcement.

Folks, Kay Bailey Hutchison is running for governor of Texas in 2010. At this point, I think the only thing that could possibly stop her is if some unforseen medical problems were to pop up unexpectably. Barring that, she is a candidate!

She's also probably the best candidate the Republican Party has. Even though she's done a poor job for Texas in the US Senate, she's still very popular in her home state. She would be a difficult candidate for the Democrats to beat.

And she's making all the right moves. In an effort to stave off a challenge by someone like Dewhurst, she is now waving her own senate seat as a carrot to entice possible opposition to not run against her, saying, "Is it better for Texas for me to leave early and give someone else a chance to start building seniority before the class of 2013? I think it probably is."

There is a real possibility that if she is elected, she would be able to appoint her own successor. That would give the person appointed a two-year head start on all other senate candidates in 2012, and give the Republicans an edge in hanging on to that seat.

Governor Hutchison? Senator Dewhurst? I shudder at the thought.