I gotta tell ya, not everybody thought he’d go through with it, but Sixth Street deli owner Marc Katz has confirmed he will actually file to run for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor.
According to his campaign, Katz will submit his paperwork at the Texas Democratic Party headquarters in Austin on Dec. 30. From this morning’s press release:
“The time for action is now … Our great state deserves better than it is getting. I will fight for Texas and more importantly to build a strong future for the children of Texas.”
The generous interpretation of this development is that Katz faces an uphill struggle, even if his only primary opponent is former Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle. While his platform is one that may strike a chord with many Democrats and progressives, his botched attempt to file earlier this year (two months early and in the wrong building) and his complete turn-around on campaign finances from his 2003 run for Austin mayor, may make it hard for him to convince the party faithful that he’s a serious candidate.
With former Texas AFL-CIO Executive Vice-President Linda Chavez-Thompson rumored to be considering a run (a rumor that has caused excitement amongst some Dem activists), the early handicapping is that the best he can hope for is to force a run-off – between Earle and Chavez-Thompson.
This article appears in December 25 • 2009.
