... Bryan Law, that is -- a 26-year-old seminarian looking to unseat longtime Rep. Elliott Naishtat (D-Austin) for the HD 49 seat.

Law announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination this week.

"I just couldn't convince enough people I could win, and I couldn't get the money to convince them ..." said Ambassador Tom Schieffer at a press conference at the Texas Capitol this afternoon regarding his candidacy for governor.

Schieffer, who until 3 p.m. was running for Governor of Texas, said he is endorsing Houston Mayor Bill White. But White, at a 4:15 p.m. press conference, said he would wait until Dec. 4 to make a decision.

According to the Bryan-College Station Eagle (click here for story), a district judge in Conroe ordered pro- and anti-red light camera activists into mediation -- which means that, effectively, the judge did not make a decision on the matter.

A Nov. 3 referendum in College Station, to take away enforcement powers for traffic violations caught on camera, passed 52-48 percent with 7,890 residents voting.

The Eagle reported that 85th District Judge Suzanne Stovall sent both sides into a room at 1:40 p.m. and asked them to come up with a resolution by 3 p.m. By 2 p.m., according to the paper, city officials still were meeting with the city attorney and lawyers.

U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison announced today she is planning to remain in the federal Senate until the March primary.

She previously hinted that she would leave the Senate by the end of November, but later said it is her intention to fight socialized health care -- an intention that was solidified in a press statement.

While reading through a packet of information received in response to an Open Records Request to the City of Arlington, LSR found an e-mail between a Tarrant County administrative assistant and several city officials dated May 7 which encouraged support for a piece of transportation legislation.

The e-mail, sent to members of the Tarrant Regional Transportation Coalition (TRTC, including North Texas city officials and mayors from Azle, Benbrook, Argyle, Arlington, Bedford and  Benbrook, and possibly several other cities -- the list of recipients appeared partial) asked them to vote affirmatively in a radio station's Web site poll and voice support on the air in favor of a Senate bill.

Comptroller Susan Combs announced her plans to recommend that no changes be made to the refund policy of a state-run college tuition savings and discount plan.

Combs previously said she felt that the Texas Guaranteed Tuition Plan (TGTP) was on the road to insolvency -- with a projected $1.7-2.1 billion in the hole as early as 2015. Combs said she plans to suggest to the Texas Prepaid Higher Education Board (which oversees the fund) on Nov. 5 that the former refund policy be retained. Previously, Combs recommended that refunds for cancelled contracts be limited.

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst spoke at a North Austin computer chip printing manufacturing plant to support what he considers to be a plan to boost the high-tech research industry in Texas.

Dewhurst, along with Sen. Judith Zaffrini (D-San Antonio), Sen. Kirk Watson (D-Austin), Rep. Dan Branch (R-Dallas), Texas Association of Business President Bill Hammond, and Molecular Imprints, Inc., CFO Dave Gino, spoke in favor of Proposition 4, which appears on the Nov. 3 ballot.

James Bernsen, former LSR correspondent and a candidate for the HD 52 seat in the Republican primary, suspended his campaign this morning and endorsed Round Rock sign business owner Larry Gonzales.

HD 52 is currently represented by Rep. Diana Maldonado (D-Round Rock). Other announced, Republican candidates include Stephen Casey, John Gordon, and Ralph Pina.

Gov. Rick Perry spoke at a luncheon during the Texas Association of Realtors Government Affairs Conference Wednesday in downtown Austin. The group's directors unanimously voted to endorse Perry, announced Brooke Hunt, chairman of the association.

While his remarks were fairly standard compared to other campaign appearances, Perry's responses to press questions afterward are not. In a rather heated answer to a question about the arson investigation that led to the execution of Cameron Todd Willingham in 2004, Perry called Willingham a "monster" and urged members of the press "not to get caught up in procedure" but to focus on the horrendous nature of the alleged crime.

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn said "cost containment" is a missing element in federal health care reform efforts at a press conference with Texas Comptroller Susan Combs this afternoon.

Combs and Cornyn spoke together at RunTex, a running and jogging supply store in downtown Austin, Friday afternoon. During the conference, Cornyn, Combs, and RunTex owner Paul Carrozza shared concerns that health care reforms being suggested by the majority in Congress will put a substantial burden on small business owners.