Bob Gammage to run for governor?
Llano lawyer Bob Gammage, a former Texas Supreme Court justice, says he might enter what he calls a sleepy race for the Democratic gubernatorial nod in 2006.And now for some Democratic infighting:"My closest and best friends have asked me if I've completely lost my mind," Gammage said Friday.
Gammage, 67, a mediation attorney whose consideration surfaced this week on blogs, including the Democrat-oriented Burnt Orange Report, said he's weighing whether he can raise enough money to run and whether his candidacy would draw grass-roots support.
But Gammage said Bell "hasn't been able to focus public attention on much of anything else. And he can't run on that. He's not running against Tom DeLay; he's running for governor of Texas, and it's a big state. Anybody who hasn't run statewide really can't appreciate how big.Chris Bell has the political skills of Bill Clinton?"The campaign conducted so far puts you to sleep," Gammage said. "The message is not being delivered so that anyone is listening. One thing I can do is deliver a message. I know how to wage a late-starting, under-funded campaign. Been doing that all my life."
On taxation, Gammage differs from Bell in saying that creation of a state personal income tax should be considered with other government finance options. "Everything is on the table," he said.
Gammage, a Houston native, is a former college instructor whose career includes stints in the Texas House and Senate and the U.S. House. He also served on the Third Court of Appeals in Austin and on the Texas Supreme Court.
Bell spokesman Jason Stanford said it was "ludicrous" that Bell is fixed on DeLay. Bell "was not afraid of Tom DeLay. He isn't afraid of Rick Perry. And he's certainly not afraid of Bob Gammage," Stanford said.
Stanford made a comparison to jockeying among Democratic presidential possibilities before the 1992 election season.
"How many Mario Cuomos have to pass on this race before we realize we've got a Bill Clinton already running?" Stanford asked.
Seems like it would be a tough race for Gammage, whose name ID would be even lower than Chris Bell's name ID.
Posted by Evan @ 11/20/05 04:03 AM
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Well, Gammage has actually run and been elected statewide, and been elected to four different levels of office. And he's well known in some of the grassroots community that worked for Wes Clark in Texas which was second only to Glen Maxey's Dean opperation.
No, he hasn't been running as of yet, but wouldn't have as hard of a time catching up as Chris Bell did quite honestly. Decades of work leaves many connections.
Posted by BOR @ 11/20/05 11:56 PM
In the fantasy-based community of the lefty netroots, yes, Chris Bell has the political skills of Bill Clinton.
Posted by kevin whited @ 11/21/05 11:00 AM
Karl/BOR -- Don't you think Bell would have to still be considered a favorite over Gammage? My guess is that Gammage's name ID is virtually zero.
Posted by evan @ 11/21/05 11:18 AM
In a sense, of course. Then again, Maria Alvarado would be considered the favorite for the Lt. Gov nomination by the same measure... by proxy of no one else being in it.
Posted by BOR @ 11/21/05 05:11 PM
So, assuming Gammage decided right this moment to run, you think he'd be the immediate front runner?
That seems to be what you're implying, Karl. It doesn't seem right to me -- it would seem like Bell would have some mild advantage -- but I'm willing to be persuaded.
Posted by evan @ 11/21/05 11:37 PM
Bob Gammage will become the front runner. Texas really needs him. He has the background and experience the others lack.
Posted by carolyn griffin @ 12/06/05 11:33 AM
Although he LONG ago touted himself in the early '70's as a strongly liberal Texas Democrat in the state senate, any self-respecting Dem under the age of 55 today in this state should take big-time notice to the fact that Bob Gammage went on to Washington and became a horrible U.S. rep. The freshman congressman obviously got roughed up by a gang of conservatives on the Hill, 'cause he came out on record AGAINST all kinds of stuff like abortion rights, and the environment, and warrants for search and seizure, and consumer protection, and ethics reform and the-list-goes-on.
Posted by Gordo Kite @ 01/03/06 07:22 PM
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