Kay's passion... where's the beef.

Burnt Orange echoes the ideas in the Lubbock newspaper over the weekend (link). Excerpt follows...

I don't think Hutchison's full passion is in the race for governor. I think she will run, and she will announce, but I don't think she'll resign her senate seat. There is no urgency for resigning, after all, Republicans are deep in the minority and she can't help the GOP with anything in D.C. anyway. She'll surely foil all these R's and D's vying for her yet to be vacated seat, which I'm sure tickles her to no end to see all this jockeying going on. Plus she'll prevent Perry, her primary foe, from filling her seat. Why give him that power? I think she'll view this entire scenario as her consolation prize. She can walk away with no hard feelings should she lose to Perry and still claim to be the Senior Senator from Texas until 2012. If she should pull out the win she can resign thereafter. Sure she wants to return to Texas, but she can hang on for two more years as a senator, retire, and then return to Texas much the same way she supposedly views her potential gubernatorial run---as a retirement. I'm just beginning to think she doesn't have the heart for politics at all anymore, which would explain her lackluster "gubernatorial primary" performance, and overall lack of understanding, or urgency in needing to build campaign infrastructure. Face it; she has never had to do this before---investing in campaign mechanics and building Party infrastructure. And man does it show.

I am not sure where Kay's passion is... period. Missing votes in the senate, not showing up to teaparties and being hostile toward the big right wing movement of our day... not raising a big enough number in the first 6 months of 2009 and then botching the press conference announcing it... throwing daily liberal attacks at Rick then backing off then awkwardly attacking more... not really engaging in the new media world except through her campaign staff... she seems like she is trying to juggle too many things but doesn't care about any of them fully. It might be that she has too many advice givers and nobody with one clear strategic vision to guide her through this strange new world.

I think the point Rick's peeps make is valid... Rick has been tested and outspent again and again by lots of opponents over the years. That drove his negatives sky high over the years. Kay has never had any serious opposition or negative ads run against her, which makes her negatives really low. Kay still has a lot more room to fall if she doesn't get it together ASAP. Rick may be keeping his powder dry now while Kay plays the role of attack dog for months on end... but when Rick gets going he can be merciless.

That is why Kay's strategy is so baffling. She has been attacking for months now which means when Rick starts hammering back she won't be able to play the victim card. By attacking so much... however ineffective the attacks have been... her campaign is admitting they are in trouble. They would have no reason to attack if they felt they were up in the polls.

Kay's campaign almost seems like it is constantly testing the waters, never ready to just jump in... into anything... even fully into her current job.