The Texas Observer

Progressive Texans’ hopes to have a dog in next year’s gubernatorial hunt were dimmed on Friday when Kirk Watson announced that he’ll forego the race and run for re-election to the state Senate.

On his Watson Wire, the former Austin mayor displayed his political acumen by explaining his decision without really explaining it. “First of all, I really like serving in the Senate and representing the citizens of Travis County,” he wrote. The other consideration, Watson said, was—repeat after me—wanting to spend more time with his family, particularly his younger son, who’s just entering high school.

In reality, of course, Watson would have been leading a semi-functional Democratic state party into battle against the huge money and superior organization that’ll be behind the Republican nominee, whether it’s Gov. Rick Perry or Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. Watson, a tall, charismatic fellow who can “talk Texan” with the best of them, wasseen by many as the only Democrat capable of putting up a fight. But Watson, who’s in his early 50s, can afford to wait another cycle for Texas’ blue tide to rise a few more feet.

Watson’s decision leaves former state Rep. and U.S. Ambassador Tom Schieffer and humorist Kinky Friedman as the only Democratic candidates more than a dozen Texas could name. It could make it more likely that Ronnie Earle, the former Travis district attorney whom Watson once worked for, will jump into the race, as he’s been hinting for months.

The least-surprising reaction to Watson’s announcement came from an undoubtedly relieved Schieffer. According to the Houston Chronicle, he “welcomed Watson’s announcement” and said that “men and women of his character and capability are needed in the state Senate.”

Amid the horrifying reports from Galveston after Hurricane Ike tore up the island last September, there was one small smile-inducing item. Two days after the storm, the first of two Galveston bars to re-open was a straight-friendly gay establishment, Robert’s Lafitte. Owner “Big Mouth” Robert mopped away three feet of water, set out donated food for folks in need, and threw together a pre-curfew drag show and Tina Turner sing-along. (She’s a survivor, honey.)

“It’s more than a life-saver,” one heterosexually identified local told Reuters as he gratefully tossed back a drink. “These are the people who take you up out of the water and make life livable.”

The latest story from Robert’s Lafitte is anything but heartwarming. On Sunday evening just after 8 p.m., the bar’s front door burst open and young men started hurling big rocks used as door stops at patrons. Fifty-seven-year-old Mark Bosaw, a Navy veteran, got the worst of it, struck in the back of the head by a 4-pound stone and requiring 12 metal staples after he was taken to the hospital.

Patrons chased the three assailants. Police caught up with them about 10 blocks away, returning them to Robert’s Lafitte for identification. After Lawrence Henry Lewis III, 20, Lawrneil Henry Lewis, 18, and Alejandro Sam Gray, 17, all of Galveston, were identified by the stunned bar clientele, each was arrested on two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon with the enhancement of a hate crime.

If there were any doubt about the motive, one of the three attackers left none, telling police he and his companions targeted Robert’s Lafitte because it was a gay bar.

There’s a lively thread on the Galveston Daily News about the incident, and about hate crimes in general.