2010: It's a Gas, Gas, Gas

Jason Isaac, the Republican running against state Rep. Patrick Rose, D-Dripping Springs, in HD-45, says the incumbent is misusing his campaign accounts to cover personal transportation costs. He says via press release that he'll file a complaint today with the Texas Ethics Commission on Rose's gas expenses and what he thinks is Rose's misreporting of his truck on state disclosures.

Rose's gasoline expenses over the last five years amount to roughly a tank per week, according to Randy Thompson, his campaign consultant. He says that in a district that covers three counties, with trips back and forth to Austin (the next town over), that's not unreasonable. "He's never billed the state for mileage — he pays it all out of his campaign," Thompson says. "This is silly. [Isaac] obviously doesn't understand the geography of the district."

Plus, he points out, Isaac himself spent more than $900 on gasoline himself, according to his most recent campaign finance report.

In his press release, Isaac says Rose has paid for gasoline out of his campaign account 322 times since March 2005, concluding "Rose may not have paid for a single tank of gas since February 2005.

Thompson says the campaign might have more to say when the complaint is actually filed with the commission.