E-Day '06: Texas

A quick night, really, but still a few notes worth taking:

U. S. Senator

Kay Bailey Hutchison  REP      2,628,717   61.64%

Barbara Ann Radnofsky DEM      1,531,895   35.92%

Total Votes Cast               4,264,297	


Governor

Rick Perry            REP      1,696,858   39.09%

Chris Bell            DEM      1,291,372   29.75%

"Kinky" Friedman      IND        544,676   12.55%

Carole Strayhorn      IND        780,157   17.97%

Total Votes Cast               4,340,527	

Lieutenant Governor

David Dewhurst        REP      2,485,407   58.28%

Maria Luisa Alvarado  DEM      1,592,723   37.35%

Total Votes Cast               4,264,744	

Attorney General

Greg Abbott           REP      2,525,668   59.59%

David Van Os          DEM      1,575,095   37.16%

Total Votes Cast               4,238,563	

Comptroller of Public Accounts

Susan Combs           REP      2,515,525   59.53%

Fred Head             DEM      1,561,006   36.94%

Total Votes Cast               4,225,703	

Commissioner of the General Land Office

Jerry Patterson       REP      2,289,115   55.15%

VaLinda Hathcox       DEM      1,696,589   40.88%

Total Votes Cast	           4,150,673

Commissioner of Agriculture

Todd Staples          REP      2,280,241   54.85%

Hank Gilbert          DEM      1,733,794   41.71%

Total Votes Cast	           4,157,125	

Railroad Commissioner

Elizabeth Ames Jones  REP      2,243,069   54.12%

Dale Henry            DEM      1,726,404   41.66%

Total Votes Cast               4,144,326	

Justice, Supreme Court, Place 2

Don Willett           REP      2,102,209   51.02%

Bill Moody            DEM      1,850,535   44.91%

Total Votes Cast               4,120,355

Presiding Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals

Sharon Keller         REP      2,319,508   56.75%

J.R. Molina           DEM      1,767,757   43.25%

Total Votes Cast               4,087,265	

Not to take away wins from people, but does Don Willet's massive 51% statewide tally still instill fear in the hearts of Texas Democrats? How about Jerry Patterson's 55%? How about the fact that for all her bankroll, Kay Bailey Hutchison couldn't even flirt with Bush's 69% from 1998?

The lesson here is that 2006 represents a lost opportunity for the Democratic rainmakers. They signalled a long time ago that they were going to pretend the statewide races were there. Sure, they came around late for Chris. But by the time they came back around, it was tough to make a race of it. Just imagine if some folks wrote a check or two for Bill Moody.