Published: October 14, 2009 10:21 pm      

Bius to announce Senate candidacy

Walker County businessman Ben Bius is scheduled to announce his candidacy for state Senate District 5 at 5 p.m. Friday at the Sam Houston Memorial Museum on Sam Houston Avenue.

Walker County is among 14 counties in the district along with Brazos, Burleson, Freestone, Grimes, Houston, Lee, Leon, Limestone, Madison, Milam, Robertson, Trinity and Williamson.

Bius, a Republican, is running for the District 5 position since current Sen. Steve Ogden of Bryan announced Sept. 10 that he is not seeking re-election in the November 2010 election.

Ogden’s term as state senator will end when his successor is sworn in on the first day of the next regular session of the Legislature in January 2011.

State Rep. Dan Gattis of Williamson County formally announced his candidacy Sept. 14 for the District 5 seat.

Gattis is a four-term state representative. He represents Williamson and Milam counties.

In late September, Bius announced that he filed the necessary documents with the Texas Ethics Commission that will allow him to continue to explore a Republican campaign for the Senate seat.

Bius, a real estate broker and businessman, said his decision to pursue candidacy for the seat comes after studying the race and receiving strong encouragement from a large number of Republican business leaders in the district and in Austin.

“While I am disappointed that Sen. Ogden will not be returning to Austin to represent me and my fellow residents of District 5, I certainly understand and respect his decision,” Bius said in September. “Steve has been a principled leader in the Texas Legislature who has led the fight for fiscal discipline in state government.

“While he leaves some mighty large shoes to fill, it is extremely important that his senate seat be filled by someone who will carry on his vision of less government and personal responsibility.”

“It would be easy for me to continue to enjoy my life as a Texan outside the glare of public life, however, the encouragement and support I have received in regards to this race leads me to believe that this good and noble work must be pursued,” Bius said. “To refuse an opportunity for service of this magnitude would not be in keeping with the words of Sam Houston, ‘a measure of life is its service.’”