By Jason Embry and W. Gardner Selby

Cox News Service

WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards, a centrist Democrat who has confounded Republican candidates and won election after election in President Bush’s backyard, became the latest entry into the “veepstakes” Tuesday after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi suggested Barack Obama consider him for vice president.

Pelosi told a Newsweek reporter in a video interview that the presumed Democratic presidential nominee should tap someone from the U.S. House of Representatives as his running mate. Edwards was the only member she mentioned by name.

Edwards, she said, “is a person that many of us think would be a good person to be in the mix.”

The 56-year-old congressman said he was humbled by Pelosi’s suggestion but has had no conversations about the topic with Obama or his vice presidential search committee.

“If at some point the Obama campaign considers me, I can’t imagine many Americans who wouldn’t consider it a deep privilege to serve our country as vice president,” Edwards said while walking to the House floor for a vote. “But at this point, I would not want to speculate as to who’s on the list.”

Texas Democrats are mixed on Edwards as vice presidential timber, though one Republican eager to see Edwards’ congressional seat

vacated said Edwards would make a strongly qualified Veterans Affairs secretary.

Pelosi’s mention of Edwards — reportedly made often among lawmakers and party activists the past two weeks — is striking because it comes from a far more liberal Democrat who is an adamant opponent of the Iraq war. Edwards voted to authorize the war.

Also, Edwards has largely worked out of the national spotlight during a congressional career that has focused on defense and veterans’ issues as well as balanced budgets.

Pelosi’s office Tuesday declined to expand on her vice presidential advice, which came during an event at the Newseum, just a few blocks from the U.S. Capitol.

Edwards could burnish Obama’s national-security credentials. He chairs the subcommittee that doles out federal dollars for veterans’ facilities and military construction, and for more than a decade he represented Fort Hood, the country’s largest Army installation. He steered tens of millions of dollars to the base where he became something of a folk hero and established a strong connection with high-ranking Army officials.

He’s also something of a political survivor, having hung on to his Waco-based district even after Republican state legislators dramatically redrew it before the 2004 election to favor a Republican. The district is also home to President Bush’s ranch near Crawford, which only spurred GOP efforts to unseat Edwards, always to no avail.

Following Edwards’ defeat of former state lawmaker Arlene Wohlgemuth in 2004, some state Democrats floated his name as a possibility for governor, but in 2006 he opted to keep his congressional seat.

“I believe that Chet would be an outstanding choice,” said U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin. “As a budget hawk and one of the best friends that our veterans and working families have, he has consistently won over people of divergent views in one of the most Republican districts in America.”

Doggett, who led the opposition to the Iraq war resolution in the House in 2002, said, “I am confident that President Obama will lead on this vital issue and that Chet could provide valuable advice on the safest and most effective redeployment plan.”

In the weeks leading up to Texas’ bruising presidential primary election battle between Obama and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Edwards surprised some political observers by declaring his support for Obama. He announced his endorsement during a Feb. 18 news conference on the Waco Suspension Bridge.

On Tuesday, however, Edwards brushed off talk of a national ticket. He appeared more eager to discuss a bill providing an almost 14 percent spending increase above last year for veterans programs and military construction.

“I am a happy husband, father and member of Congress,” he said. “So I’m going to continue my life as usual.”

Others, however, encouraged the idea of Edwards as Obama’s running mate. Rep. James Moran of Virginia called his colleague “as fine a vice presidential complement to that ticket as you can find.”

“There’s no one who’s a stronger supporter of veterans and the military,” Moran said.

Asked if that would be enough foreign policy experience to be Obama’s vice president, Moran fired back, “Well, he knows the difference between a Shi’a and a Sunni” Muslim — a reference to misstatements made earlier by presumed Republican presidential nominee John McCain.

Wacoans on Tuesday still were learning about Edwards as a vice presidential prospect for Obama. Civic leader and former Waco Mayor Linda Ethridge, who worked closely with Edwards when the two battled efforts to close or downsize the Waco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, said the news was a surprise.

“It’s interesting and a lot to think about,” she said of Pelosi’s comment. “He did come out early for Obama. But it is surprising, especially for Nancy Pelosi to toss it out.”

Democratic consultant Dan McClung of Houston called Edwards a “first-rate guy” whose rise in the House through years of Republican dominance deserves credit. Pelosi’s suggestion, he said, “has to be taken seriously.”

Bob Slagle, chairman of the Texas Democratic Party when Edwards won election to the Texas Senate in 1982 and to the House eight years later, initially laughed at the idea, saying: “Chet looks like every mother’s son ought to look. Handsome, attractive guy, charming, great smile.

“Chet obviously is a very bright guy. . . . But if we’re trying to have enhanced foreign policy credentials (on the ticket), I’m not aware of what Chet has,” Slagle said, aside from success defending Texas military installations.

Slagle noted, too, that the last two U.S. House members on presidential tickets didn’t lift the candidates to victory: New York U.S. Rep. Bill Miller, GOP nominee Barry Goldwater’s choice in 1964, and New York Rep. Geraldine Ferraro, Democrat Walter Mondale’s nominee in 1984.

Brian W. Smith, an associate professor of political science at St. Edward’s University in Austin, said Edwards would bring certain characteristics to the Democratic ticket that might help Obama — including his race, his Southern roots and his House experience.

But, Smith said, Edwards is “not that big of a player such that he’s going to be able to swing Texas” for Obama like vice presidential nominee Lyndon B. Johnson helped John F. Kennedy win in 1960.

“He doesn’t have a lot of name recognition; people are going to say, ‘Chet Who?’ ” Smith said. “He doesn’t really give a lot of energy. . . . There’s a lot bigger-name Democrats out there.”

Edwards, Smith said, “should be flattered.”

Austin lobbyist Neal T. “Buddy” Jones, who lost a 1982 race to Edwards, said: “I know him to be an incredibly talented campaigner and one who knows how to win. Those are two pretty good traits for someone running for office.”

Under Texas law, Edwards could run for re-election to the House and vice president at the same time.

If Obama won, however, Democrats could have a tough time holding his seat in a district that political experts say favors a conservative Republican.

“I think we could hold that district,” said Jason Stanford, a Democratic consultant in Austin. “It would just cost us a ton of money.”

Rob Curnock, Edwards’ Republican opponent for the District 17 seat, said having Edwards on a presidential ticket while running for the congressional seat wouldn’t affect what Curnock describes as his “David vs. Goliath” campaign.

“It was clear to me his political interests lie with Barack Obama, “ Curnock said. “That’s where myself and Edwards totally disagree, as to which direction America needs to go. I think the direction Barack Obama wants to take the nation would be an absolute disaster.”

Chris DeCluitt, president of the McLennan County Republican Club, said having Edwards in the running as vice president could give Curnock a boost.

“I think that Rob is still going to have a very hard battle,” he said. “Rob knew that going in. Chet is not unpopular, but (with him on an Obama ticket) it might turn a few people. It might turn a lot of people.”

The Republican Club chief said he heard grumbling among some local Democrats who backed Clinton after Edwards endorsed Obama.

If an Obama-Edwards ticket won in November and Edwards prevailed in District 17, the congressional seat would be vacant until an emergency election was called or until the next uniform election date, the Texas Secretary of State’s Office said.

If Edwards’ seat is open, a lot of Republicans will be gunning for it, DeCluitt said.

Curnock could be in the running for an interim spot, DeCluitt said, but a special election probably would draw a large field of Republicans vying for a spot that has been in the Democratic column for 19 years.

“Rob has taken a very brave step knowing he has a big mountain to climb,” he said. “There’s no Democrat besides Chet Edwards that can win this district. . . . With that obstacle out of the way, I think you would see a very full election.”

Vice presidential speculation aside, DeCluitt sees another job Edwards could qualify for: secretary of Veterans Affairs.

“His background and his experience . . . lends itself to that,” DeCluitt said.

Tribune-Herald content editor Paula Blesener and Washington-based Cox News Service staff writer Julia Malone contributed to this story.