Conservative and smart candidate for US Senate.

I think the best, and most likely candidate at least in the interim is Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst.

If a runoff is required, the governor will set the date of the runoff, within 20 to 45 days of the final canvass. I don’t think a statewide canvass can be completed in under 10 days, so I’m pretty sure June 2 is too early and it would put the Memorial day weekend in the middle of early voting. So figure on some time in mid-June for the runoff.

In theory, Texas has a provision for holding special elections in even numbered years with party primaries and the special election held in November. But this requires a vacancy to occur 62 days before the primary and on after January 1. The primary is the first Tuesday in March, which is March 2, 2010; which is the 61st day of the year.

The Texas governor may also set an earlier election date in case of emergency. The law does not define the nature of an “emergency” but simply requires the nature of the emergency be identified.

Texas will also hold regular primaries in 2010. The general primary is the first Tuesday in March (March 2, 2010), and the runoff primary is the second Tuesday in April (April 13, 2010). It is not legal to hold a special election on a primary election date, and is impractical since primaries are conducted by the political parties, and are not held in all counties in the State.

The special election may have an impact on the ballot qualification of political parties and independent candidates for the November 2010 election. The deadline for political party petitions is May 16, and for independent candidates is May 13, just after the special election. But early voting will occur prior to that – and it may be easier to gather signatures then since there are fewer polling locations.

The senate special will be done without nominations, with each candidate declaring their party affiliation. In 1993, there were 10 Republican, 5 Democratic, and one each Libertarian, Socialist Worker, and Prohibition party candidates, plus 6 independents.

I don’t think that party affiliation can be restricted to parties qualified for the November election. Since nomination is not permitted, how can requiring being affiliated with a party that may nominate for other elections be relevant? In addition, affiliation with a political party is limited to even-numbered years and clearly tied to the nomination process for the November general election. And if a candidate were seeking election in November 2010, he is required to be affiliated with the party when he seeks to be nominated in the Spring – even if the party is not yet qualified or does not qualify.

If someone is required to affiliate with the Green or Constitution Party by January 2010 and is not permitted to change that affiliation for the remainder of 2010, it would not be possible short of a fraudulent application when filing for the special senate election that you are not affiliated with any party.

The restriction to running for more than one office, is for offices contested on the same election day, and which a person could not hold office concurrently. There is a special exception for candidates running for President or Vice President.

So the only legal restriction would be for candidates running for various city and school boards that hold their elections in May 2010.

There may be pragmatic political reasons for not running for both statewide or other offices, and the special senate election. It would require additional campaign contributions. And voters may question the commitment of candidates running for two offices. “John Doe for either Governor or Senator” may not be an ideal bumper sticker.

This may not apply to Representatives who generally have pretty safe seats. They could be renominated in March and then run for the Senate seat, just as if the vacancy had occurred after the primary. Voters aren’t going to turn them out simply because they were politically ambitious. With two reasonably strong Democratic Senate candidates, Republicans will discourage too many candidates such that none qualified for the runoff.

The filing deadline for the special election could be before or after the primary. While the date is set by law, the timing of the declaration of the election is up to the governor, and can be as close as 36 days before the election.

You Ron , run and ask fo rthe money, you will get it from all over the nation