Texas Democrats hungry for former state Comptroller John Sharp to re-enter politics will finally get their wish. Today, Sharp announced he is running for the U.S. Senate seat currently held (but likely to be vacated) by Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison.
Hutchison is widely expected to resign her seat so she can try to oust fellow Republican Rick Perry from the Governor’s Mansion in 2010. However, even if she doesn’t, the 58-year-old Sharp says he isn’t messing with the usual “exploratory committee” rigamarole: “I will be a candidate whether the election is 2012 or any time before then.”
Sharp is a former state representative, state senator, and railroad commissioner. In 1990, he was elected comptroller, and re-elected in 1994. That latter election made him part of the last batch of Democrats to hold statewide office, along with names like Bob Bullock, Dan Morales, and Garry Mauro. In 1998, he came up short (48%) in his run against Perry (50.04%) for lieutenant governor, the year the Dems were completely swept out of the upper echelon of Texas government. In 2002, he again tried for lite guv, but his 46% was bested by David Dewhurst’s 52%.
Since then, his name has always come up in any statewide contest – including last year’s senate race – but he has consistently declined entreaties to run in favor of staying with the Dallas-based financial management firm Ryan, Inc.
Sharp said he will file the required papers on Jan. 1 and immediately begin raising money and campaigning.
This article appears in December 5 • 2008.