Speaker Joe Straus released his picks for a select committee designed to recommend changes to the transportation financing situation in the Lone Star State.

Straus selected a diverse sampling of opinions on transportation policy reform to comprise the newly formed House Select Committee on Transportation Funding -- from House Transportation Committee Chairman Rep. Joe Pickett (D-El Paso) who led the fight to block the expansion of toll roads in the previous session, and Vicki Truitt (R-Southlake) who said a plan to give large metro areas the power to call elections to raise gasoline taxes and other fees in order to build toll roads was "fall on my sword"- worthy.

In her newest ad, Kay Bailey Hutchison takes aim at the "cronyism" of the Rick Perry governorship, rising education costs, TxDOT's misplacing of a billion dollars, and suggests ethics and transportation reform as a plan of action. Hutchison called for "Honest, conservative leadership, and a governor who will remember who she works for." 

Former U.S. Rep. Charlie Wilson, a native of Lufkin who backed the Afghan resistance against the Soviet Union in the '80s, died today at age 76.

Wilson gained additional fame when he was played by Tom Hanks in the 2007 movie "Charlie Wilson's War," in which he was portrayed as womanizer and deal-maker "Good Time Charlie." But despite any criticism of the Texas Democrat, his colleagues in the Lone Star State have been unanimous so far in referring to Wilson as "larger than life" and "a giant."

Below are some statements on Wilson's passing:

LSR's Managing Editor Will Lutz discusses the viability of the E-Verify system in curtailing immigration on WFAA-TV, Channel 8 in Dallas-Fort Worth, Sunday morning. In his one-minute "Rant," on the weekly political roundtable show "Inside Texas Politics," Lutz said the information to be submitted to the E-Verify system is already required in the form of federal reports and implementing the program would not be a significant burden on employers. (Lutz' comments begin about 10 minutes remaining in the video.)

The moderators must have gotten the stack of Republican question mixed up with the Democrats': Vouchers, Voter ID, abortion, etc., topped the list of questions at the KERA Democratic candidates' edition of "The Texas Debates."

The two candidates meeting debate criteria, former Houston Mayor Bill White and haircare product magnate Farouk Shami, also locked horns on a variety of other issues closer to the hearts of Democratic voters including regulating Barnett Shale energy production, immigration policy, and the death penalty.

A video of the debate may be viewed here.

Not only did the Austin American-Statesman endorse Kay Bailey Hutchison for governor today, but her campaign released what could arguably be its most visible ad of the campaign season ... and the last one of the football season. It featured a fictional "behind the scenes" look at the "Perry HQ attack ad" department -- showing the fake staffers shredding documents such as a map of the Trans-Texas Corridor.

DALLAS -- Broadcasting a gubernatorial debate on television in the age of the Internet can do alot to raise curiosity of candidacies to those not well-informed on state politics -- even if the remarks often make for better cannon fodder than brain food.

I had planned on driving to Dallas to cover some DFW-area House races for LSR and was pleased to be given a  pass to "The Belo Debates," which featured the Republican candidates for Governor of Texas. So I left a day or so early to attend, though I'll admit that my attendance was mostly due to my own sense of curiosity.

This year it was Gov. Rick Perry aside GOP rivals U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and Wharton County Republican organizer Debra Medina. I never did see the three candidates together on stage ... or anywhere. And my view was nearly as good as anyone else's.

A former U.S. Secretary of Commerce and an architect of the modern Republican Party of Texas died Sunday.

Bob Mosbacher, who became Commerce Secretary during the Geroge H.W. Bush Administration and recently a key player with the John McCain Presidential Campaign, died of pancreatic cancer at age 82. Mosbacher, a native of New York who later moved to Texas and established a lucrative oil exploration and production business, also led a colorful political career, in addition to several championships as an amateur sailor.

"I'm always up for looking at new ways to protect our citizens, but the last thing I want is the Texas Captiol returning to DFW Airport," Perry said, during a press conference today, referencing Thursday's apprehension of a shooter on the capitol grounds, and discussion of installing metal detectors at the doors.

Perry spoke to the press at Texas State Rifle Association (TSRA) headquarters in Austin to accept the endorsement of the group's political action committee. Though the TSRA, the state chapter of the National Rifle Association, gave Perry's chief rival Kay Bailey Hutchison an A+ rating recently, it is the policy of the group to endorse gun rights-friendly incumbents. Susan Howard, board member of the NRA, said if the situations were reversed, and Perry was running for the U.S. Senate seat, the NRA would endorse Hutchison.

George H.W. Bush endorsed Kay Bailey Hutchison in her bid for Texas Governor today -- an unusual step for the former President to take in a Republican primary cycle.

Bush, according to the Associated Press, said he has nothing against incumbent Gov. Rick Perry, but feels closer to Hutchison.