Republicans eager to foist Michael L. Williams into national spotlight at convention

by Vince Leibowitz of Capitol Annex

I really, really, really, really have to wonder what attraction the Republicans at the national level have to Texas Railroad Commissioner Michael L. Williams this year. Is he wearing clothes made of money and handing out baby seal pâte to convention goers?

Seriously: out of all of the Republican governors, senators, congressmen, state legislators, judges, commissioners, mayors, and county coroners in American, why pick someone who is essentially a utility and oil industry regulator from Texas? He holds a position that isn’t sexy and, when introduced as the Railroad Commissioner, will make people wonder what the hell Texas is still doing with an entire state agency designed to regulate railroads.

Oh, wait. I forgot. Michael L. Williams is a rare commodity: an African American Republican. And, as a result of this rare combination, he gets to introduce John McCain on Thursday so he can accept the GOP presidential nomination.

On another interesting note, we’ve heard interesting Austin gossip that some highly-placed Texas Republicans lobbied hard to get Williams–an essential nobody in national Republican circles–to the gate (although the fact that he is African American helped significantly) in order to set him up for a race for Governor in 2010. Evidently, there are a few Republicans who like neither the idea of Rick Perry’s upteenth term as Governor nor the idea of a Kay Bailey Hutchison governorship and feel Williams could at least make it into a runoff in 2010–with some help. Another version of this rumor is that it will set up Williams for a 2010 Senate Run. Who knows…..