Declarations

Kay Bailey Hutchison’s political two-step gets under way next week with an 18-city tour — starting in her old high school in La Marque — to announce that she’ll seek the Republican nomination for governor against an incumbent who’s held the job longer than anyone in state history.

If U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison really does step down in October or November, as she said recently on WBAP-AM, the election to replace her could land anytime between December and May. It’d be in May unless Gov. Rick Perry — the guy Hutchison hopes to unseat — declares an emergency and sets an earlier date.

It’s midsummer. Hot. Time for vacations. But first: The campaign finance reports are in, and you can start to see where (some of) the money is going.

Texas Republicans are starting a critical election cycle with a gaggle of competing political action committees, a muddle that could hamper efforts to hang onto the slimmest possible majority in the Texas House.

For a Texas governor — especially for one embarking on a reelection bid — that headline perfectly describes a successful special session. Voters didn’t get hurt, weren’t aroused, and have no real reason to give it another thought.

There aren’t any real surprises on Gov. Rick Perry’s agenda for the special session starting next week, and not much controversy, either: He clearly wants to get lawmakers through this thing in a hurry.