Immigration Issue May Push Rep. Berman To Run For Governor

June 01, 2008
Immigration Issue May Push Rep. Berman To Run For Governor

Roy Maynard

The battle lines are being drawn for the upcoming legislative session, and immigration will again be a contentious debate.

State Rep. Leo Berman is raising the stakes now, however. The Tyler Republican says that if he’s not satisfied with the progress made at the Capital, he’ll run for governor.

“We don’t have any leadership in Texas that’s committed to real immigration reform,” Berman says. “I’m going to lead an effort among a dozen Republicans to introduce 20 to 30 new bills dealing with illegal immigration. If we can’t do anything on those bills, then at the end of the session, I will announce my candidacy for governor, on the pledge that if elected, I’ll do something about the issue.”

Gov. Rick Perry — who has announced his plans to run for re-election in 2010 — has opposed Berman’s bills in the past.

“I think any of those types of legislation that create divisions are bad. We need to look at ways to be bringing people together, rather than driving wedges between them,” Perry said prior to the last legislative session.

House Speaker Tom Craddick has also opposed most state-level fixes to what he sees as federal issues.

“Historically, the federal government has dealt with immigration,” Craddick said through his spokesman, Chris Cutrone, in 2006.

And the chairman of the committee that would normally hear these bills, Rep. David Swinford, staunchly opposed Berman’s efforts in 2007.

Berman had hoped for some progress; he’s won a pledge from Craddick that should allow him to send immigration bills to other committees, bypassing Swinford.

And Berman’s now armed with the irrefutable endorsement for immigration reform voiced by Texas Republican voters.

In March, Republicans casting ballots in the primaries voted on a measure saying that “Federal, state and local officials should be required to enforce U.S. immigration laws in order to secure our borders.” They approved the referendum by 96.33 percent.

But it’s still going to be an uphill battle to win over the leadership, Berman acknowledges.

That’s why he’s upping the ante.

“If we can’t get anything done concerning illegal aliens, I’ll run,” he said. “For six months (following the close of the session), I’ll travel the entire state talking to Republicans about the issue. I’ll talk to anyone who will listen.”

He admits his announcement “is a little surprising.”

“I know it’s going to be a shock to a lot of people, especially to those people in Austin who play musical chairs on their way to the governor’s office — running for land commissioner, agriculture commissioner, other offices as stepping stones,” he said. “But I’m a five-term state legislator, so I’ve got the standing to run.”

It would be a dark horse campaign – not unlike the presidential campaign of Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo, who also ran on the issue of immigration. Tancredo’s campaign sputtered to a stop in December, out of funds and never really registering on the polls.

“There are differences,” Berman says. “It’s a lot tougher running for president. But we’re talking about the Texas Republican primary here, and I can reach out to every single primary voter if I have to.”

He said he’ll use fundraising as a gauge to help determine whether he should stay in the race.

“If I haven’t raised enough money to mount a serious run by December (2009), then I just won’t file for governor,” he said.

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Early Returns is the political observations column of staff writer Roy Maynard, who can be reached at 903-596-6291 or at roymaynardtmt@gmail.com.