Averitt announces resignation, Sibley considering seeking former seat
By Michael W. Shapiro Tribune-Herald staff writer
State Sen. Kip Averitt, R-Waco, announced Monday he will be resigning March 17, setting the stage for a May special election to fill out the remainder of his term.
Last week, Averitt won his Republican primary with 60 percent of the vote, despite a decision in January to shutter his campaign because of recent health concerns.
In a statement, Averitt said he was “humbled” by the outcome of that election, adding that “I will now work on maintaining a healthy lifestyle and spending time with my children.”
State Sen. Kip Averitt, seen at Sunday’s basketball game between Baylor’s Lady Bears and University of Texas Longhorns, said in a statement Monday he will resign from his post March 17.
Rod Aydelotte/Waco Tribune-Herald
For weeks, there was speculation that if Averitt resigned, his predecessor and mentor, David Sibley, would consider a run to return to the Senate.
After Averitt’s announcement, Sibley said he’s taking a hard look at vying for the seat.
“I’ve not made a final decision, but I’m very interested, and I’m talking to people,” said Sibley, who represented Waco in the Senate for 11 years. He now works as a lobbyist.
Sibley said he has started talking to clients about the possibility of leaving his lobbying shop to seek the Senate seat.
According to records from the State Ethics Commission, Sibley represents two Waco-based organizations: the Brazos River Authority and Profiles International, a firm that creates products designed to help companies with hiring and performance.
Yancy also would run
Before news of Averitt’s resignation broke, his primary opponent, Burleson businessman Darren Yancy, wrote on his campaign Web site that if a special election is called, “I will immediately file to run.”
Yancy also predicted he would fare better in a special election than he did in the primary.
“My team is assembled and ready to go,” Yancy wrote. “There will be boots on the ground, calls on the phone and signs everywhere.
“With my name having been on the ballet (sic), the name ID will be high and difficult for a new filer to overcome,” he continued.
Sibley’s experience
That last piece of logic might not apply to Sibley, however. The former state senator has represented nine of the 10 counties in the Senate district. The district includes McLennan, Bosque, Coryell, Ellis, Falls, Hill, Hood, Johnson, Navarro and Somervell counties.
Sibley has never represented Coryell County.
A former Waco mayor, Sibley was elected in 1991 to the Senate.
He said his legislative experience would benefit the district during a challenging session, in which lawmakers will have to tackle a budget deficit and redistricting.
David Sibley
“I think it’s important for all 10 counties to be represented by someone who has experience,” Sibley said. “This is going to be a very, very tough session, and if I chose to (run) and if the people send me back down there, I believe I can do the job.”
Democrats’ plans
McLennan County Democratic Party chairman John Cullar said it was too soon to know if any Democrats would take a shot at the May special election.
“A lot of people weren’t wanting to prejudge Senator Averitt’s decision and be seen as seeking an office that wasn’t open,” Cullar said.
Cullar also noted the winner of a May special election isn’t guaranteed a shot at being senator in the upcoming legislative session, which will start in 2011. That will be decided by the county party chairs in the 10-county district.
The chairs from the Democratic and Republican parties each will caucus to put a replacement candidate on November’s general election ballot.
According to state election code, the two committee chairs will have to choose their candidates by 10 weeks before the election.
Both Sibley and Yancy indicated they’ve talked to the Republican county party chairs about who would be the GOP chairs’ selection.
mshapiro@wacotrib.com
757-5707
Full text of Averitt’s release
“Your vote of confidence last Tuesday, election day, was most gratifying. I am humbled by your support.
“Now, the time has come for me to step down. I will resign my Senate seat as of noon on March 17th. This will allow the governor to call a special election on May the 8th. My immediate priority now is to see that the voters in Central Texas get to pick their next senator.
“Serving you, our friends and our neighbors, has been my highest honor and greatest privilege. I thank you for your continued support of my decision to step away from public office after 17 years of service. I will now work on maintaining a healthy lifestyle and spending time with my children.”
RELATED SEARCHES
MORE IN WACO NEWS »
To Elmo: He resides in Austin.
Sibley no longer lives here?
Gee, what happened to my post about Sibley being a resident of Travis County? At least the Travis County tax assesor thinks so. I did make a screen print of Sibley's "homestead" and I think that precludes him from claiming residence here in McLennan County. Hmmmm. Let's see if this post makes it past moderation.
Something crooked and the paper wants to keep it under raps
Yet again, much like other Waco-based organizations, the Brazos River Authority must be scrutinized and its leadership's judgment questioned. It sounds like financial malfeasance and deficiencies in fiduciary oversight to me. Typical for Waco-based organizations...
Well Jim you gonna run?
Do this is where the losers with not enough courage to reveal their true identity come to congregate. Dunham or Mabry with no special interests? What a joke.
Ringo. Do you enjoy your sky high electric bill? Thank Sibley. You get what you pay for. Sibley passes it and then goes to work for the people that benefited the most, electric companies
Sibley's experience is worth something. We've seen what can happen when "community organizers" start promising stuff. I don't know if I want to take chances on risky schemes and promises from unknown people.
If you ask me, McLennan County has each other 'in their pocket'. OH, YES, the 'Good Ol' Country Boy Network' is ALIVE AND WELL! I have pleaded with Kip Averitt to help me find out the truth in my son's suspicious death.....Do I need to repeat myself?
I see. It all kinda makes sense now. Thanks Marie. Get on it Trib!
Darren Yancy provided the information on the BRA/Brazos Electric lawsuit directly to the Trib-Michael Shapiro-and as you can see, the Trib has been silent even when provided with "News". Voters in the northern part of Dist. 22 have been urging Yancy to delve into this mess and corruption and his requests for information have been denied. Sibley, DeCluitt, Averitt all are involved now or previously with BRA and they don't want the "outsider" Yancy to find out what's going on at the Brazos River Authority. It's a shame the surrounding county newspapers are laughing at the Waco Trib for being silent on this story.
The Trib did not want to divulge this during the election.
The Trib did not want to divulge this during the election.
Thanks Marie for this link, I ask why this was not in the news in Waco?? Who is on the take???
read what was published in Ellis County newspapers--http://www.elliscountyobserver.com/index.php?s=Brazos+River+Authority
BRA,,Brazos river Authority and Possum Kingdom mismangement under Kip's watch. Lot's of bad stuff Trib has kept under the sheets. open meeting records have been requested. Guess who is the main cog at BRA. Non other then this Decluitt clown that was pushing for Kip . The plot is thick
BRA,,Brazos river Authority and Possum Kingdom mismangement under Kip's watch. Lot's of bad stuff Trib has kept under the sheets. open meeting records have been requested. Guess who is the main cog at BRA. Non other then this Decluitt clown that was pushing for Kip . The plot is thick
Kip get lost.
What is this BRA thing I've seen in the comments so much? Was there something in the news that I missed?
I would think Mr Yancy would get the message, that the people would not vote for him. The voters would not have voted for Mr Averitt, when he had announced his retirement. Obviously they thought he would be better than anyone else. Mr Sibley, NO, I would not vote for him, since he is a lobbiest now.... I will probably have to vote democrat, something I rarely do. I will vote democratic for govenor. No way would I help put $$$Perry$$$ back in again.
I would think Mr Yancy would get the message, that the people would not vote for him. The voters would not have voted for Mr Averitt, when he had announced his retirement. Obviously they thought he would be better than anyone else. Mr Sibley, NO, I would not vote for him, since he is a lobbiest now.... I will probably have to vote democrat, something I rarely do. I will vote democratic for govenor. No way would I help put $$$Perry$$$ back in again.
Sibley wants in to keep that debacle at the BRA under the sheets. This whole thing stinks and Sibley thinks he God's gift to us. I puke everytime I open my electric bill . Thanks David Sibley, you are a corrupt politician
This whole debacle stinks to high heaven! Filing and then a week later saying you are stepping down, having friends lobby votes for you, even though you have publicly stepped down, and now magically, the person who groomed you and held the position before you wants the Senate seat back. This has so much cronyism and backroom deals wrapped around it that it's mind boggling. Of course Sibley wants the seat, no one with their name attached to the BRA mess wants someone from the outside to get in a position to expose the corruption.
Oh my, Sibley considering, foot, this has been the plan all along since the charade began but the backfire of all the Demo's crossing over is messing with their sure thing! ha! ha!
Drew I hope you enjoy your electric bill at Sibley's doing's. He took it all the way to the bank
Drew I hope you enjoy your electric bill at Sibley's doing's. He took it all the way to the bank
Hope you get to feeling better Kip. You always had my vote. Take care and thanks for a job well done.
I'm not a fan of the time that Sibley has spent as a lobbyist in Austin, but he's an infinitely better choice than Yancy, and Dunnam can't get enough votes outside of his gerrymandered congressional district to make him viable in a general election for the state senate.
No to Sibley. I am sorry, I do not want a lobbies as my Senator. I rather have Dunnam or Mabry as my Senator.
On my. Sibley wants us to consider him after he talks to his supporters? Who is his supporters, electric companies that he lobbies for? I am reminded of him ever time I open my sky high electric bill. He derugulated them causing Texas to have the highest rates in the country. He retires and then goes to work for those people making millions.
On my. Sibley wants us to consider him after he talks to his supporters? Who is his supporters, electric companies that he lobbies for? I am reminded of him ever time I open my sky high electric bill. He derugulated them causing Texas to have the highest rates in the country. He retires and then goes to work for those people making millions.
In My Opinion ...
2011 IN REVIEW
» News: Top Waco stories of the year
Blogs: Latest posts
Database searches
Popular searches
- Waco area restaurant inspections
- Waco police arrest reports
- Waco police warrants
- Waco area marriages
- Waco area divorces
- Waco area foreclosures
- Waco bankruptcies
Buy, sell & more
Waco marketplace
- Boocoo auctions: Sell your stuff!
- WacoTribCars.com
- Jobs: Waco listings
- Real estate: Waco listings
- Buy & sell merchandise
- Classified ads for Waco
