After searching far and wide to replace Roger Williams as his secretary of state, Gov. Rick Perry has made a radical, outside-the-box choice – his deputy chief of staff and former director of communications, Phil Wilson.

The People for the American Way have already issued a gushing press release, hoping that its constituent members like the American Civil Liberties Union and Texas Civil Rights Project will be able to work with the state’s newest chief election officer on voter-rights issues. He may be a little busy for that: He’ll also be staying as Perry’s appointee on the Texas Enterprise Fund, the Emerging Technology Fund, and the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and Tourism.

Wilson hasn’t always been a loyal Perryite: Prior to that, he was state director for everyone’s favorite Dem congressman-tuned-Republican U.S. Sen. Phil Gramm – the man about whom seasoned pol watcher Dave McNeely said, “He’s got every quality of a dog except loyalty.”

Gramm was quoted by Mother Jones in 1995 as saying about the GOP, “We’re going to keep on building the party until we’re hunting Democrats with dogs.” Let’s hope that attitude never rubbed off on Wilson.

This article appears in June 15 • 2007.

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The Chronicle's first Culture Desk editor, Richard has reported on Austin's growing film production and appreciation scene for over a decade. A graduate of the universities of York, Stirling, and UT-Austin, a Rotten Tomatoes certified critic, and eight-time Best of Austin winner, he's currently at work on two books and a play.