Another former GOP ally of House Speaker Tom Craddick filed paperwork this weekend to challenge the three-term leader. State Rep. Dan Gattis, R-Georgetown, became the 13th speaker candidate and the seventh Republican to take on Craddick.
Today, the House Democrats released their long-rumored list of 64 signatures from Democrats who have pledged not to vote for Craddick. The signatures of all five El Paso representatives are on the sheet. You can download the list here: Download HDC Release 122908.
Craddick still contends he has a majority to win re-election when the vote happens Jan. 13.
Just doing the math in front of us, we know that 71 of the 150 House members have said 'No' to Craddick. That leaves another 79 up for grabs.
And, of course, that math is based on the assumption that those 64 ABCDs (Anybody But Craddick Democrats) aren't going to change their minds. State Rep. Chente Quintanilla, D-El Paso, told me recently that he wouldn't rule out voting for Craddick.
The ABC Republicans are expected to have a meeting this Friday to try to decide on a candidate to unite behind. Maybe that will provide some more clarity to this jumbled up picture.
UPDATE ON THE NUMBERS: State Rep. Jim Dunnam, D-Waco, says with the Gattis' filing, there are now 76 votes against Craddick. Here's how he gets that number: 64 Ds + 11 Rs who said they wouldn't vote for Craddick + Gattis = 76.
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