Houston Democrat Chris Bell -- a local politician making his first statewide race -- kicked off his campaign for governor with a speech to 150 supporters and onlookers on the University of Texas campus. He called for a "moon shot" for Texas public schools and called upon voters to join what he calls a "new mainstream." You can download a copy of his whole speech (with footnotes) by clicking here. Standing in front of a statue of Martin Luther King Jr. and surrounded by friendly placards, Bell rolled out what he called a "pact with parents," that would include reformed sex education, parental controls on porn and violence and other potentially objectionable content in video games, financial education in schools (the Legislature is already working on it), and education reforms. He uncorked some other ideas in the speech, saying insurance companies should be forced to lower premiums in light of reports that their Texas rates are $4 billion too high, that the state should encourage stem cell research.

He didn't mention his battles with U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Sugar Land -- that was left to introductory speakers -- but called generally for "political reforms to make our campaigns and our government more transparent and accountable." He suggested state limits on credit card interest rates and marketing practices. He wants to end tuition deregulation that was instituted by legislators two years ago and that resulted in higher prices at state schools (the schools wanted the change because legislators persistently short-sheet higher education). Bell, a lawyer and a former reporter, was a former Houston city councilman and one-term congressman. He lost that second gig after the Legislature drew his district to his disadvantage, and he made a national reputation by filing an ethics complaint against DeLay. Bell broke a long-standing truce that protected members of the House from colleague's complaints. Congress admonished DeLay in a letter, but left some of Bell's complaint pending while prosecutors and grand juries in Travis County finish an investigation of the DeLay-founded Texans for a Republican Majority, or TRMPAC, and related matters. Bell is one of two Democrats running for governor. Felix Alvarado of Fort Worth, a middle school principal and a political unknown, says he'll be on the ballot and that his sister, Maria Luisa Alvarado of Austin, is running for lieutenant governor. You can reach both of their websites at www.OneTexasForAll.com. While Republicans Rick Perry and Carole Keeton Strayhorn have raised millions toward the contest, the Democrats aren't seriously in the money hunt yet. Bell reported raising $152,653 during the first six months of the year and spending $127,593. He had $10,741 on hand as of June 30. (Both Alvarados reported minimal activity; he ended with no money on hand, she with $99.72, and that's not a typo.) 

Between the mumbling about the legislative session, there's been some mumbling that former Comptroller John Sharp might join the Democratic race for governor. But if he puts a toe in the water, he'll have to splash.  Sharp's last campaign finance report -- filed in January -- included a notice from his treasurer, Austin attorney Ray Bonilla, that it would be the last: "I, the undersigned campaign treasurer, do not expect the occurrence of any further reportable activity by this political committee for this or any other campaign or election for which reporting under the Election Code is required. I declare that all of the information required to be reported by me has been reported. I understand that designating a report as a dissolution report terminates the appointment of campaign treasurer. I further understand that a political committee may not make or authorize political expenditure or accept political contributions without having an appointment of campaign treasurer on file." That doesn't keep him out of politics or anything crazy like that, but means he'll have to file papers with the Texas Ethics Commission if he wants to explore or announce a run. 

One-night stands, getting lucky, and golf with Willie Gov. Rick Perry's team is aiming steady fire at Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn, who plans to run against the Guv in the Republican primary next year. It's a purity test: Strayhorn supporters and some aides say they want to attract new voters into the GOP primary, the theory being that Perry is strongest with conservative Republicans who show up for every election, and that other voters -- moderate Republicans, independents and disenchanted Democrats -- might sway the primary in her direction. Texas Republicans have welcomed Democratic votes in November elections, but some apparently think inviting donkeys to GOP primaries is bad juju. Jeff Fisher, the party's executive director, told the Austin American-Statesman it was a bad strategy: "It's one thing when a candidate tries to invite like-minded conservative Democrats and independents to make a lasting commitment to the Republican Party. It's quite another to encourage liberals to vote in the primary like a one-night stand." That triggered a response from the Strayhorn camp. Brad McClellan, the candidate's son and campaign manager, fired off a letter to party officials boosting his mom's Republican credentials and demanding an apology: "My Mom, like former President Ronald Reagan, believes in the 'Big Tent' theory. If we are going to be the majority Party for years to come, we must encourage voters to join our Party. That the executive director would think it appropriate to attack the honor of a mother and a grandmother who is a Republican statewide elected official is astounding." That tussle went another round, when Dr. David Teuscher, a Perry supporter on the State Republican Executive Committee, took Fisher's side. In a "private letter" to McClellan excerpted on Perry's website (www.rickperry.org), he called Fisher's comment "coarse," but also said that, "quite simply, the metaphor fits the situation." In a "public letter" that's also posted there, he accused Strayhorn of trying to lure liberals into the primary and asked her to cut it out and to stop consorting with trial lawyers and such. Perry, asked for a comment, ducked: "It's pretty much politics, and I'll leave the politics to another time." • Gov. Rick Perry picked up an endorsement from U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Dallas. Sessions is the second member of the Texas delegation (21 Republicans, to lend his name to Perry's reelection campaign. • If you ride your bicycle well enough for long enough, somebody will start a website like this: www.lance4president.com. Count his fingers. • Kinky Friedman, who's trying to get on next year's gubernatorial ballot as an independent, got lucky playing the slots in New Orleans, winning $45,612.65. That dollar figure is fairly close to the number of signatures he'll have to get from registered non-voters to get on the ballot next spring. Separately, singer Willie Nelson announced a fundraiser for Friedman at his home in the Hill Country. For $5,000 each, golfers will get to play a round with Willie and with former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura; another 100 spots are open for lunch guests at $1,000 a pop. That's on September 24. Details are on his website, at www.kinkyfriedman.com. 

Joe Wisnoski, a finance wizard at the Texas Education Agency, is one of those people who makes the whole thing work. Now he's retiring from his current post as deputy associate commissioner of school finance and fiscal analysis. Wisnoski, who did a total of 16 years at the agency -- and 11 more in stints in the governor's office, the comptroller's office and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board -- is leaving TEA at the end of the month. He's not sure what he'll do next, but plans to work. Gov. Rick Perry named Neal Adams vice chairman of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, scooting him into a slot opened when Robert Shepard became chairman. Adams, a member of Perry's campaign finance committee, is a name partner in a Bedford law firm. Perry first named him to the THECB in 2001. Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, is the new president-elect of the National Conference of State Legislators. She's the first Texan to take that position, and also the first Hispanic. That group and its affiliates gave awards to legislative staffers from around the country who are particularly good at what they do. Only one went to a Texan. Rod Welsh, the Texas House Sergeant at Arms, got an achievement award from the National Legislative Services and Security Association. Chris Uranga, former director of IT operations and computer security at the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, ERCOT, pleaded guilty to charges of setting up fake companies to funnel contract money to himself and others. That's the first plea, according to Attorney General Greg Abbott, resulting from investigations of ERCOT that led to indictments against six men. Carlos Marin of El Paso is President George W. Bush's choice to be Acting United States Commissioner of the United States and Mexico International Boundary and Water Commission. He's replacing Arturo Duran, who told the El Paso Times he was asked by the White House to resign. Jerry Phillips is leaving the House after five regular sessions and, as he puts it, 5.5 special sessions, to become executive director of the Texas League of Conservation Voters, an environmental group. He's worked for several House Democrats, most recently as chief of staff to Rep. Jim Dunnam, D-Waco.