Tuesday, October 20, 1998

Perry would bring benefits for West Texas

With polls showing that the outcome of the Texas governor's race offers little suspense, attention statewide is more acutely focused on the contest for lieutenant governor between Republican Agriculture Commissioner Rick Perry and Democratic State Comptroller John Sharp.

Perhaps Texas voters should always be so attuned to the competition for this office because the lieutenant governor actually has greater constitutional power than the governor.

The governor is pretty much limited to setting an agenda by using his popularity to appeal to the public. But as presiding officer of the Texas Senate, the lieutenant governor exercises considerable control over what specific legislation is passed. He determines committee arrangements and pulls the strings that largely seal the fate of bills as they are introduced. A powerful lieutenant governor can accomplish a lot - or keep a lot from being accomplished.

Plus, in light of speculation that Gov. George W. Bush may resign in two years to run for president and leave the governor's mansion to the lieutenant governor, this year's race for the second spot on the ticket takes on added significance.

Two strong candidates

Texas voters are fortunate this year to have two strong candidates for this office who are decent men and proud Texans. Perry and Sharp have both served the state well in a variety of capacities. Perry has been a member of the Texas House, first as a Democrat and then as a Republican, and has been Agriculture Commissioner for the past eight years, where he developed a reputation as a capable administrator. He has worked closely with Bush during this campaign and fully supports the governor's agenda for the 1999 Legislature.

Sharp also has a long record of public service. He has been a member of the Texas House and the Texas Senate and served on the Railroad Commission before succeeding current Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock as state comptroller. As comptroller, Sharp has been praised for innovations such as the Lone Star Card for food stamp recipients that saved Texas taxpayers millions. Working closely with Bullock and the Legislature, he made the sprawling comptroller's office more efficient even while its responsibilities expanded. An independent Democrat who has distanced himself from gubernatorial candidate Garry Mauro, Sharp has gained recognition as someone who puts the interests of Texas above those of his party.

Both men are worthy of high public office. Both would be good for Texas.

The Abilene Reporter-News gives its endorsement to Rick Perry. A native of Haskell who maintains strong ties to this area, Perry has been a consistent friend of West Texas during his tenure in Austin and promises to continue to be. Known as more of a partisan operator than Sharp, Perry will need to show he can work with both sides of the aisle. And his support for a school voucher program is a questionable proposition. But the Big Country would be sure to benefit from Perry's playing such an influential role at the top of state government, perhaps as governor in two years.