Gov. Rick Perry, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison: Add another name to the list of potential Republican candidates for governor in 2010. Ultraconserv­at­ive, anti-immigration Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, is getting legal advice on how to get the keys to the mansion. On Aug. 22, Ber­man (not to be confused with Rep. Lon Burnam, D-Fort Worth) asked for an attorney general’s opinion on two questions: If a state rep announced in the first year of a two-year term that he intended to run for governor, would he have to resign from the House, and what would happen if a rep formed an exploratory committee for a gubernatorial run in that first year? Interested parties have until Oct. 6 to file briefs, but Berman’s questions may be a little presumptive, considering he still faces a challenge for his House seat from Libertarian Gene Moody on Nov. 4.

This article appears in September 12 • 2008.

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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.