Speaker's Race: Confident Speculation Begins in Earnest

Pena called it last week but I thought that was too early. Burka did it late this afternoon, and now we're within 24 hours, so it feels less uncertain. Both have called it for Craddick.

Burka cites the desire by the Pitts coalition for a secret ballot to be a mark of weakness, or instability in their pledges. I suppose it is possible that Pitts and Pals don't have the votes and are hoping against hope that a secret ballot will convince some of the floaters to fall on their side. I know for certain that if Craddick has it locked up, Pitts is in far too deep to get out now with anything left. He'll be lucky if Craddick doesn't seize his lands and banish him to a cave somewhere along the Nueces.

I'm hearing grim rumblings but the idea that a secret ballot could make some magic happen is not totally dead and in the ground. The argument that speculation on popular blogs could influence the game is a little silly - let's not worry about things like that unless we see big headlines tomorrow in the morning editions.

QR has it that Representative Fred Brown won't be at the opening of the session tomorrow. 148 total members will now participate in the election, but 75 is still the number needed for a majority.

Lastly (for now),enjoy this accounting of last night's attendees at the Austin Club Craddick event, via YouTube.