E-Mail From Bill White

So far, there are two Democrats running for the U.S. Senate seat that Kay Bailey Hutchison will be vacating in a couple of months -- former Comptroller John Sharp and Houston Mayor Bill White. I haven't heard from John Sharp, but yesterday I got an e-mail from Bill White. Here is what he said:


Dear Ted,

Texas' next U.S. Senator should be the voice of all Texans, not simply someone who works for the right wing of the right wing. I'm Bill White, Houston's Mayor and former Deputy Secretary of Energy of the United States under President Clinton.

If you are interested in a Democratic candidate with a winning track record who can defeat Gov. Perry's hand-picked appointment for the Senate seat to be vacated by Sen. Hutchison, please read on and visit my website, www.billwhitefortexas.com.

As your next U.S. Senator, I will work hard to be your voice, to do what is right for Texas -- reviving the economy, protecting Social Security and Medicare, improving educational opportunities, and reducing both America's dependence on foreign oil and federal borrowing. As the son of veteran and a schoolteacher, and as a long-time Sunday school teacher, I share the values of ordinary Texas families.

Wouldn't it be great if our next Senator helped our national leadership succeed rather than hoping it fails simply to score a partisan point?

I know how to win elections from the grassroots up. After organizing voter registration drives in the west side of San Antonio the 1960s, I served in positions ranging from precinct chair to state party chair.

As Houston's Mayor, I have led the region to the highest job growth in the nation, successfully fought polluters, cut crime rates to the lowest in decades, dramatically increased the number of neighborhood health clinics, and led the city to a greener future with energy efficiency and renewable energy. The people of my community re-elected me twice with margins averaging 88%.

Help me earn your support. At www.billwhitefortexas.com, you can learn more about my track record, the solutions I champion, and how to join the team. Already our grassroots and online teams are strong. We have raised more contributions from more individual donors than all of the other campaigns, Democratic or Republican, combined!

Please join our team and forward this email to those who want a U.S. Senator for Texas' future.

Respectfully,

Bill White

I honestly have not made up my mind whether to support either White or Sharp. I usually vote in the Democratic primary, so I'm sure I'll probably have to wind up voting for one of the two, but I have no idea which one it will be. To be truthful, they both have the stench of "Blue Dog" all over them, and I really can't get very excited about imposing another Blue Dog on President Obama.

But if either one of these men wants more than my vote (like a cash contribution or blog support), he's going to have to wash off some of that Blue Dog stench. I don't mind a good Yellow Dog Democrat, but the Blue Dogs tend to turn my stomach (just look at what they're doing to health care reform right now).