Published: January 05, 2009 12:54 am      

Four say Craddick dropping bid for speaker

AUSTIN — House Speaker Tom Craddick, the first Republican speaker in the Texas Legislature in modern times, is dropping his bid for a fourth term, four GOP House members said Sunday.

“I talked to the speaker. He has dropped his candidacy and released his pledges,” said Rep. Will Hartnett, a longtime Craddick ally.

Craddick had been campaigning for a fourth term as the presiding officer over the 150-member chamber, but his dwindling support became insurmountable as Rep. Joe Straus, a relative newcomer to the political arena, gained strength.

Shortly before word of Craddick’s surrender spread, Straus, R-San Antonio, released a list of 85 pledges of support, more than enough to win the election on Jan. 13.

“It is time for a new tone and an atmosphere of trust in the Texas House of Representatives,” Straus said, upon announcing that he had secured enough support to win the race. “Having received the commitment of a strong majority of my colleagues, it is my goal to restore civility, fairness and transparency to the House of Representatives and its public-policy making process.”

Republicans hold a 76-74 majority in the House. The narrow partisan split and divided GOP loyalties mean House Democrats will play a decisive role. All but four House Democrats endorsed Straus.

A core group of Republican conservatives, the bedrock of Craddick’s coalition, could throw their support behind veteran Amarillo Republican Rep. John Smithee, who reportedly entered the race Sunday.

Hartnett, who said he would be supporting Smithee, said Straus is inexperienced and “virtually unknown in the House.”

“Smithee is known — he’s known, trusted and respected and I think everyone in the House would feel comfortable with him as speaker,” said Hartnett, R-Dallas. “Obviously, it’s a horserace right now but Smithee is very popular.”

Smithee did not return phone calls to The Associated Press.

Hartnett said he expected Craddick to endorse Smithee and also told reporters he thought Craddick would return to the chamber as a rank-and-file member and serve out his two-year term.

At a downtown Austin steakhouse, where Craddick had planned to address the House Republican caucus, Craddick rushed through a throng of reporters to get into the restaurant.

Craddick, the longest serving Republican in state elective office, has been a lightning rod of controversy in Austin. He famously faced down a rebellion at the end of the 2007 session after replacing his rules advisers and claiming “absolute” authority to brush aside challenges to his rule.

When first elected in 1968, Craddick became one of only eight Republicans in the 150-member chamber.

The longest-serving member of the Legislature, Craddick’s adept fundraising skills helped the Republicans win an 88-62 majority in the House in 2003. It was the first time the GOP led the chamber in more than 130 years. His grateful colleagues promptly chose Craddick, an oilfield mud salesman, to be their leader — and Texas’ first Republican speaker since 1871.

Since the GOP glory days of 2003, the party’s majority has shriveled to the narrow 76-74 lead.

In his first term, Craddick quickly pushed through a conservative agenda of congressional redistricting and lawsuit limitations.

“Speaker Tom Craddick has served with distinction in the Texas House for four decades,” Straus said. “I have great respect for him personally, and honor his service to the state.”

Craddick’s tenure has been marked by complaints from Republicans and Democrats that he rules the chamber like a dictator and forces lawmakers to bend to his will.

Straus served in the presidential administrations of Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.