Commission member Ted Houghton of El Paso was blunt about Perry’s influence.

“This is the governor’s program. If we go in and try to scrap some piece of his program, I think we’re going to have hell to pay with our boss, and that’s the governor,” Houghton said. “He was elected by the citizens, not us. We are an extension of what he believes.” (SAEN)

And here I was stupidly thinking y'all were serving the citizens of Texas, not the narrow interests of 39% and his campaign contributors. So much for the whole 'being a good public servant' thing. Now there are rumors about a replacement for Williamson being shoved down 39%'s throat that will make a lot of Democrats VERY happy.

But due to the support several of its members showed for Craddick during the unsuccessful challenge by Jim Pitts and later in the session, they have been tagged as Craddick Ds. Strother, who is also Dukes' campaign spokesman, called it "comparable to using a slur, whether it be a racial or sexual. It's a lowbrow way." Since no Democrat was running for speaker, he said, "The difference between Pitts and Craddick is different right-wingers blocking legislation." Still, several other members of the group have since distanced themselves; District 45's Patrick Rose went from seconding Craddick's speaker nomination at the opening of the last session to disavowing him on the floor by sine die.

So, now we're racists for not liking Dawnna. Oh hell, Colin. Why not make something else up about the differences between Pitts and CradDICK? The reality is, Pitt's would have been a much weaker Speaker than CradDICK and would have been forced by the Democrats to, for instance, fully fund CHIP. Thanks to Dawnna and the other members of the Iscariot Caucus, we got CradDICK again.

It's also worth noting that she affirmed she may still support CradDICK...

Even now, she says, she would not rule out backing Craddick as speaker again next session.

That should come as no surprise... after all, you never know when a client might need some help in the way of state taxpayer largess.