Dan Patrick: In

HoustonChronicle.com - On Politics: Call him Senate candidate Patrick now

Let the games begin:

Dan Patrick, former television sportscaster and restaurateur turned talk-show host, station owner, and born-again communicator, is now a candidate for office.

Patrick is entering the crowded GOP primary for the state Senate District 7 seat held by Republican Jon Lindsay, who is retiring.

...

Patrick's Montgomery County home, where he has lived for years, is in Senate District 3. That seat is held by Republican Todd Staples, who is running for agriculture commissioner. Patrick said he considered running in District 3 and in District 18, which includes part of Katy and several counties southwest of Houston. He settled on District 7 because of a history there.

"I feel more at home there than anywhere else," said Patrick, pointing out that he lived in Bear Creek, part of District 7, from 1979 to 1991 and has had a business there for 17 years.

Within the next two weeks Patrick will close on a condo in Hudson Oaks, a few miles away from the radio station.

Patrick says he intends to stay on the air until he officially files for office. The filing deadline is Jan. 2. Federal Communications Commission rules prohibit him from doing his show once he's formally a candidate.

"I'm in," Patrick said. "I'm in to stay."

There's also a couple of other interesting notes in the article.

Patrick trying to edge out other candidates:

"He called and told me I should run for 133 (the House district Nixon represents now). I told him other people already tried to talk me into it and I don't want to do it," Ellis said. "I'm in the race and I'm not going anywhere."

Nixon acknowledged he and Patrick talked, but said the conversations were private.

"I don't flinch," Nixon said, stating his intentions to stay in the race. "Dan is conservative, as am I. I think we have the same positions on many, if not most, issues. The real difference between the two of us is my record of proven success. At the end of the day, I think that's what will attract the voters."

Ted Delisi, Hamric's political consultant, said, "In a race with several candidates another entry further fractures the field and helps those with long standing proven ties to the district."

Hamric has served in the House since 1991 and Nixon since 1996.

And yet another example of that so-called liberal bias at the Chron:

Nixon and Hamric are vacating safe seats to run.

Nixon's district is undergoing rapid change and the 2004 results saw the Presidential vote in 133 go 56-44 for Bush ... a bit far from "safe."