Christi Craddick, daughter of former House Speaker Tom Craddick, announced her intent to run for the Republican nomination for the Texas Railroad Commission in 2012. She will run for the seat now held by Republican Commissioner Elizabeth Ames Jones who is running for the U.S. Senate and will not seek re-election. Craddick joins a field that includes Rep. Warren Chisum (R-Pampa) and Roland Sledge, a Houston oil and gas attorney who is the brother-in-law of former Texas A&M Chancellor Rep. Mike McKinney.
Former state representative Gary Walker will challenge freshman state Rep. Jim Landtroop (R-Plainview) in the newly redrawn House District 88 seat now occupied by Rep. Warren Chisum (R-Pampa).
The first legal challenge to the margins tax was filed with the Texas Supreme Court last week. Because of a provision in state law, the case begins and ends with the Texas Supreme Court, with a directive to resolve the matter in 120 days. The writ of mandamus, filed with the Texas Supreme Court last week on behalf of Allcat Claims Service of Boerne, laid out three claims. The central issue is the question of whether the margins tax is effectively a state income tax. The Court should rule before the end of the year.