Daniel Takes GOP HD-52 Nomination

"Well, at least we know who's going to be taking us to the dance," said Genevieve Van Cleve, campaign manager for Democratic House District 52 candidate Diana Maldonado. Yes, insurance agent (and former US congressional staffer and Bush appointee) Bryan Daniel has won the Williamson County Republican primary run-off.

Daniel, who many in the Williamson County GOP have portrayed as a creature of the agricultural PACs, has hammered local boy (and assistant county attorney) Dee Hobbs by a whopping seven points, 53.63%-46.37%. Daniel outraised and outspent Hobbs: from Feb. 24 to March 30, he dumped $53,599.46 into the run-off, compared to the relatively paltry $12,577.44 Hobbs spent. However, that included money for the controversial mailers that claimed Hobbs hated guns. Not that Daniel will be hurting for money: with big spenders like the Texas Right to Life PAC and the tax-hating Empower Texans PAC (both of which have taken honking great big contributions from Republican cash-cow James Leininger) in his corner, it seems like conservatives won't be giving up Mike Krusee's old seat without a fight. But considering that he seemed to be running against the local party, there may not be much family unity in November.