Questions remain about Kay Bailey Hutchison’s plans

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Nobody would have been surprised if Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) had exited the US Senate late in 2009 – she had said she just might do that to pursue the Republican nomination for governor back in her home state. Then she was going to exit after the primary. Now Texans are wondering if she’s even going to leave in 2012.


Hutchison is Ranking Member of the key Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and of late has been a vocal critic of FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski’s third-way approach to internet traffic management regulation.

Hutchison had said that she’d exit the US Senate regardless of the results of her primary battle with incumbent Texas Gov. Rick Perry, but then changed her mind and decided to serve the rest of her term through 2013, saying it was her duty to remain on board during a particularly important legislative session.

Now the Dallas Morning News says that speculation is rampant that rather than step down in 2012, she will stand for re-election.

Hutchison is not forthcoming with answers, and has said she does not wish to be bombarded with questions about it either.

According to DMN, those who had been moving to participate in a special 2010 election to fill Hutchison’s seat may still be up for an attempt in 2012, regardless of her decision, noting the decisive loss she suffered at the hands of Perry.

But any challengers, should she run again, will have to contend with her seniority – a leadership post in an important committee will certainly not be an attribute that a rookie senator will be able to put to work for the benefit of the state.