It looks like the game is over in Texas:
With the crucial defection of a leading Texas lawmaker, the defiant band of Democratic state senators holed up in New Mexico since July 28 has lost its ability to deny Gov. Rick Perry the quorum he needs to push through a hotly disputed Republican redistricting plan.
The surprising reappearance in Houston Tuesday night of a prize holdout, Senator John Whitmire, who, with 30 years in the State House and Senate is the dean of the Legislature, threw Texas politics into a new tizzy.
If Mr. Perry calls a highly unusual third special legislative session, as is widely expected, Mr. Whitmire, 54, known as Boogie from his avid partying in younger years, could be required to attend or be arrested and dragooned into the chamber.
Watch the left’s rhetoric reached a fevered pitch as they lose yet another political battle. Some people want to continue the fight, however:
In Santa Fe, N.M., Gov. Bill Richardson, who offered sanctuary to the Texans, cautioned the Republicans that their “big power grab” in Texas might impel him to put redistricting before New Mexico’s special legislative session in October. “I don’t want to use it as a threat,” Mr. Richardson said. “It’s just an option.”
David Perron
Well, if he thought he could have done it, I think he’d have done it already. Don’t you? Redistricting is always of paramount importance to the party in charge. I don’t think it ought to be, but that’s another story.
Empty threat.
MonkeyPants
The defector was on NPR today. (Don’t ask!!!)
The interviewer as used words like “betrayal” and “traitor.”
No bias here, folks, just move along.
Andrew Lazarus
What bewilders me is that an awfully large constituency seems to like the fighting-back Democrats over the bend-over Democrats. (You can see this in Kerry’s candidacy announcement.) And sometimes, like it or not, it works (example: Estrada).
What was there for Sen. Whitmire Iscariot to gain here? Couldn’t they have flown his wife (mistress?) to NM if it were just a question of boredom?
Imam Pshyco Muhammed
Andrew,
It shouldn’t surprise you, there are loads of stupid Democrats in Texas. Hell, there are loads of stupid Democrats everywhere, look what they have done in California.
And that fat sack of grease, Bill Richardson, probably needs to worry about New Mexico’s problems and stay out of Texas’ business.
Joshua Martin
My understanding is that Gov. Perry has a team of 20 stout Pinkerton men ready to blackjack “Boogie” as he’s getting into his car.
Kimmitt
Oh, well. Win some, lose some. At least they tried.
M. Scott Eiland
*snicker* I wouldn’t mind seeing a reception party for the legislators as they slink back into Texas. It’d make a nice little human interest piece on Fox, don’tcha think? :-) Bonus points for particularly good mocking from the signs of the reception committee.
M. Scott Eiland
“In Santa Fe, N.M., Gov. Bill Richardson, who offered sanctuary to the Texans, cautioned the Republicans that their “big power grab” in Texas might impel him to put redistricting before New Mexico’s special legislative session in October. “I don’t want to use it as a threat,” Mr. Richardson said. “It’s just an option.””
Wow! So, how exactly are you gonna divvy up those three congressional districts, Governor Dimwit?
As threats go, this one is almost as scary as the thought of the population of the island of Tonga invading California wielding damp linguini as their weapons.