Speaker Craddick: Not going anywhere soon.

For anyone that thought House Speaker Tom Craddick may take the challenge for his gavel from Rep. Jim Keffer, R-Eastland, lying down, think again. With an early start that puts even the seemingly endless ’08 presidential race to shame, the ’09 speaker stand-off is officially on. Last night, seemingly Craddick retired to those fancy (and expensively) renovated apartments that come with the job, talked it over with his wife, and put out this terse press release:

“I have talked to Nadine [Craddick], and I fully intend to run for Speaker. The paperwork was already filed last February.”

Keffer vs. Craddick. Two reps enter, one speaker leaves.

This article appears in May 11 • 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.