Kay doesn't like the peeps vying for her seat?

Kay's associate make the case that Rick can't be trusted to appoint a qualified candidate to the seat (link)...

If Hutchison were to resign this fall, Perry would select an interim senator who would serve until a special election in the spring.

A Hutchison insider told POLITICO that she “can’t trust Perry to appoint a candidate who would hold the seat and represent the state at a desirable level.”

This can't make Dewhurst or Michael Williams or Dan Patrick or any of the other rumored candidates feel all warm and fuzzy about Kay...

She may or may not resign... now it looks like she won't. Rick's choice won't measure up to Kay, though...

It does appear that Kay is hedging her bets now because maybe she thinks she can't win? (link) Excerpt follows...

It is important for Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison to remain in the U.S. Senate to influence the debate on health care. However, it is also important for her to resign that seat fairly soon since she is running for governor.

Initially Hutchison said she would resign in October or November. Now she said she's not sure whether she will resign before the end of the year or even before the GOP primary in March.

That suggests she is hedging her bets, preparing for a return to Washington if Perry beats her in the spring. That's also probably not the impression Hutchison wants to give, as she has made it clear for many years that she wants to be governor and isn't satisfied with Rick Perry's leadership.

The best way for her to demonstrate her commitment to this contest would be to resign her Senate seat as soon as possible. Whatever the outcome of the governor's race, Texas needs a full-time senator in that post until the term expires in 2012.

Yeah Kay is sending all kinds of mixed signals on this deal...