Texas Republicans in the House are putting new pressure on Kay Bailey Hutchison to remain in her Senate seat this year, urging her to “stay and fight” instead of calling it quits as she promised she would during her unsuccessful campaign for governor.
“We understand your desire to go home to Texas and spend more time with your family,” said the letter, obtained by POLITICO, which was signed by 20 Republicans from the House delegation. “Quite simply, there is no person more capable, more committed and more caring to stand up with John Cornyn and fight Texas’s fights in the U.S. Senate.”
When she was running for the GOP gubernatorial nomination against Republican Gov. Rick Perry, Hutchison insisted she would retire, but continually wavered about her timeline for doing so. Last November, she spoke in unequivocal terms about her decision to retire from the Senate.
"Let me also be crystal clear about one thing: I will be resigning this Senate seat,” said Hutchison, whose term officially expires after the 2012 elections. “For all of the good Republicans out there who plan on running for my seat next year, make no mistake. This is going to happen. It just isn't going to happen until after health care reform and cap and trade are finished. And that will be after the primary.”
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