The Midday Brief: Jan. 14, 2011

Your afternoon reading:

• "It's still two years before the 2012 election for Senate, but early word from tea party is that Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst is not its choice to replace Kay Bailey Hutchison. Instead, Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina has emailed supporters of his Senate Conservatives Fund saying he likes Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams and former Texas solicitor general Ted Cruz." — Early word from Tea Party: Thumbs down on Dewhurst for Senate, Trail Blazers

• "The big gorilla in that race, however, is Attorney General Greg Abbott. Abbott was prepared to run for the office when David Dewhurst won in 2002. And now Abbott has more money in the bank than any other statewide office holder: $9 million." — Republicans for lieutenant governor, Texas Politics

• "Sen. John Cornyn is calling for 'a candid, transparent dialogue' rather than speedy legislative action to generate the kind of comprehensive overhaul of the immigration system that's sorely needed." — Sen. John Cornyn says only dialogue can yield immigration reform, Texas on the Potomac

• "Sen. Kirk Watson’s proposal to add transparency to the budget process by laying out the conference committee report for five days has gotten some traction." — Getting Serious About Open Government, BurkaBlog

New in The Texas Tribune:

• "The first domino has fallen, sort of: On the heels of Kay Bailey Hutchison's announcement that she won't try for another term in the U.S. Senate and rampant speculation that David Dewhurst will run for her seat, Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson today walked up to the edge of saying he plans to be a candidate for lieutenant governor in 2014." — Jerry Patterson May Run for Lieutenant Governor