Election eve, no one blinks

Craddick, Pitts appear headed for rare House floor fight.

On the eve of a rare floor fight over who'll lead the Texas House, neither Speaker Tom Craddick nor challenger Jim Pitts blinked Monday amid uncertainty about whether the pivotal vote will be public or secret.

Craddick, R-Midland, stayed out of view as he has since the speaker's race surfaced just before Christmas.

Also out of sight was Pitts, R-Waxahachie. He accepted an invitation to speak to the 69-member House Democratic Caucus this morning, according to the caucus chairman, Rep. Jim Dunnam of Waco. But Pitts was described as huddling with members and talking to them by telephone.

Craddick turned down the Democrats' invitation, which was offered Monday afternoon. Craddick spokeswoman Alexis DeLee said Craddick had morning meetings already slated with members plus guests coming to Austin from his West Texas district.

Craddick wasn't entirely hidden. He and his wife, Nadine, showed up in a video recording on the Web showcase YouTube with 60-plus House members as they entered the private Austin Club on Sunday to attend a buffet dinner.

At the gathering of Craddick supporters, including Democratic Rep. Dawnna Dukes of Austin and GOP Reps. Mike Krusee of Williamson County and Dan Gattis of Georgetown, Craddick reportedly said that he has more than 80 recent signed pledges from members for his re-election to a third two-year round as speaker; 75 votes are needed to win.

In question: Whether some members have committed to both Craddick and Pitts, perhaps explaining why each contender says he's on the verge of victory.

GOP Rep. Brian McCall of Plano, who last week dropped his Dec. 23 bid for speaker to endorse Pitts, said he has no doubt that some members have pledged to more than one candidate.

"It's been fluid from beginning to end," McCall said. "It's like trying to keep 149 corks under water at the same time."

Craddick supporter Jim Jackson, R-Carrollton, said Monday: "People signing for Craddick are, I'd think, very serious. If not, I'd be very hurt. I'd be very disappointed in them personally."

At most, 148 members of the normally 150-person chamber will vote today. A Houston-area seat remains to be filled in a runoff. And because of the death of his mother Monday, Rep. Fred Brown, R-College Station, a Craddick supporter, plans to be absent from the mass swearing-in of lawmakers after they convene at noon for the legislative session.

Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Houston, Craddick's speaker pro tempore, said at the buffet that today's vote could signal how members will treat one another for the rest of the session. Turner said Monday: "If your word only means something for the time you're speaking to the other member, then that's an indictment of our institution. It goes against the integrity of the House."

Meanwhile, Rep. Will Hartnett, R-Dallas, said he seeks common ground with members on rules for the election. Hartnett last week proposed a voice roll-call vote, an idea that Pitts called circuslike.

Hartnett said Monday that he intends to propose voting by paper ballots with each member's vote coming public after the speaker is chosen. Pitts had said over the weekend that he likes that idea.

Another member, Rep. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth, said Monday that member votes should be sealed until the speaker makes committee assignments later this month. His way, Geren said, "allows every member to vote his or her conscience for speaker without fear of retribution" while respecting the public's right to know how members voted.

Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, who last month dropped her candidacy for speaker in favor of McCall, said Monday that she remained uncertain of Pitts.

"I'm interested in hearing from both sides," Thompson said, reserving the option of voting "present, not voting."

Whoever's got the votes should settle out by nightfall, though state law leaves another option. Legislators can defer the election.

"I can't imagine the House not wanting to get on with this," McCall said.

wgselby@statesman.com; 445-3644