Schieffer vs. Watson?

Former state Rep. Tom Schieffer officially announced his candidacy for governor today outside an elementary school in Ft. Worth. He’s scheduled appearances in Houston and Austin later this afternoon and will then head to South Texas to start campaigning.

His announcement comes just a day after his expected opponent for the Democratic seat, state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, said she wouldn’t enter the race. (Humorist Kinky Friedman is also expected to be in the Democratic field.) She also put in a good word for colleague Kirk Watson, urging him to run. In the same breath she took an indirect stab at Schieffer, whose personal ties to George W. Bush landed him an ambassadorship to Australia and later Japan:

Prominent Democrats must put personal ambitions aside and very pragmatically nominate the person best equipped to win in November. Just because one can win the Democratic nomination for Governor doesn't mean one should, unless he or she is best positioned to defeat the Republican nominee in the fall. That's why I think Senator Kirk Watson should raise his sights and run for Governor.

Maybe that’s why part of Shieffer’s announcement touched on what should have been an obvious point. “I am a Democrat,” he said, “as Sam Rayburn used to say, without prefix, suffix, or apology.” Much of the rest of his speech focused on education and health care—issues that go hand in hand with his oft-repeated concern about Texas becoming a third world state. 

Watson, an Austin Democrat and former mayor of the city, said he was flattered by Van de Putte’s endorsement and would think it over, but wouldn’t decide until at least the end of the special session, which many expect Gov. Rick Perry to call in July.