Did the next Governor of Texas just speak at UT's Center for Politics and Governance? Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and Houston Mayor Bill White are talked about as top 2010 gubernatorial contenders from their respective parties. The Senator is a well-liked Texas Republican who has served in Washington since 1993. The three-term mayor was formerly Undersecretary of Energy under President Bill Clinton.
Both addressed students, staffers and other political nerds at a conference today (which came with a free chicken lunch, natch.) We caught up with both of them before they made their speeches.
Excerpts from KBH Priorities in making decision about running for Governor?
I think now is the time to start focusing on it. I tried to stay out of the 2008 election but I will start thinking about it now. What I would like to do for Texas is what I would most focus on in a run for Governor.
Timeline for decision?
I want as much as I can to stay out of the way of the legislative session. I want all of our elected officials to do their jobs. They're in session six months every two years -- I think it's important for them to have the ability to operate. So I will try to stay out if it... but I am going to start to make my plans and make my decisions in a timeframe that I think is right for the state.
Would Texas be hurt if you resigned before the end of your Senate term?
Let me say that I've looked at this from all angles, and If I did decide to step down, Texas is actually well positioned because John Cornyn would have had a full four year term. This is really a better time to bring someone new in, to build seniority when someone [Cornyn] has it. Four years ago, it would have been less advantageous. But today is the right time for Texas.
Excerpts from MBW
Hear the audio from the Houston Chronicle here:
What are you going to do next?
I'm not sure, better start thinking about what to do next. We've been busy with Hurricane Ike, most people are tired of the elections right now. But I better be focused on what to do next. I love working for the people of Houston, but I'm also concerned about Texas.
Interested in a Obama administration job as Energy Secretary?
I'm not asking anybody to consider me for anything... or jockeying for it. I've done work in the executive branch before, we made some real improvements when I was there. But I like being an elected official accountable to the people. So, I hope the new President and bipartisan congress gets together, does some good stuff on energy policy, reduces what we consume.
If the President-elect asked you to be energy secretary, would you say yes?
I'm not sure that hasn't happened.* I think most Americans - I hope - will listen very carefully to whatever the president wants them to do whether they want to do it or not.
I've talked to Senator Obama a few times on energy policy. We need to do a lot in this country to reduce our consumption...
Senator or Governor... which one are you better suited for?
I think about what would be best for the state. I like managing organizations, which is more executive. And you know, one of my passions is energy policy and a sound economic policy, which is a big challenge in DC. But, I better be listening to people, and thinking about the future.
**WHAT DOES THAT MEAN!?!?!? Has Obama already asked him!?!?
More of White after the jump.
What do you make of the hype?
If they spend that much time talking about me, it must be pretty slim pickings. I work hard, and I try to get things done, and focused on my job. Haven't been doing a lot of politicking in awhile. What we have done in Houston is bring people together to get things done. And I'm proud of that.
I've always had strong bipartisan support. My average re-election margin is, I don' tknow, 89 percent. One of the stories in Texas is the increasing power of the folks who identify themselves as independent. People are tired of the stridency and the extreme partisanship. And they've always supported what we've been doing in Houston.
Don't you lose some of that when you say you're a Democrat running?
Various opponents of mine gone out of their way to remind people of my partisan credentials, which are real. It hasn't tended to bother people in Houston that I don't vote in the same primary as they do.
Do you think the state of Texas could turn purple...
I think what people are looking for isn't so much party in Texas, and get the state moving, that's credible. Most of us are pretty tight with taxpayer dollars here in Texas. The thing that's happening in Houston that has strong support, is try to run the city like a well managed, consumer-oriented high-performance business. That's what people want, in general. The image candidates and people who have three point plans and all there is is a survey and no follow through, I don't think will fare as well anymore.
This is not a game. And people want government to get results, and people who know how to bring people together.
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Elise Hu is KVUE's Political Reporter and your dedicated blogger. There's too much politics in Texas to fit into a newscast, so the fun continues here. Email your ideas and feedback to ehu@kvue.com.
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