Posted on 12/03/2005 7:27:23 AM PST by Theodore R.
Laney plans end of distinguished political career BY JOHN REYNOLDS AVALANCHE-JOURNAL
State Rep. Pete Laney, D-Hale Center, won't run for re-election next year, closing the curtain on a 33-year legislative career that included a record-tying 10 years as House speaker.
He didn't go into specifics Friday on his decision to leave.
"I think it was time, there's no particular reason," he said. "There are other things I may want to do with my life."
The 62-year-old cotton farmer and grandfather of four has spent more than half his life as a state representative.
He was first elected in 1972, knocking off state Rep. Delwin Jones.
In 1993, Laney was elected House speaker, replacing Gib Lewis. He immediately implemented reforms to make the House more transparent and to limit the speaker's power over committee chairmen.
Laney held the post for the next 10 years, losing his grasp on the speaker's gavel when Republicans became the majority party in the chamber and elected Tom Craddick to the post.
Since 2003, his influence has waned. In the most recent legislative session, he received no major committee assignments, serving only on the county affairs and natural resources committees.
He had drawn a Republican challenger for 2006, Plainview insurance agent Jim Landtroop.
Laney's announcement, which many of his close supporters said came as a complete surprise, brought a swift response from Hale Center to the White House.
Claude Burnett, a Hale Center insurance agent and nephew by marriage to Laney, said that losing the lawmaker will be a blow to the community.
Hale County benefited from Laney's influence, he said.
He credited Laney, for instance, for placing a regional office of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in Plainview.
"It was an honor to have someone like Pete for speaker of the House," he said. "He's well-respected. I wish we had more of him."
Laney's tenure as House speaker coincided with the rise of then Gov. George W. Bush. The men's close working relationship was highlighted by Bush during his run for the presidency in 2000.
When Bush addressed the nation after becoming president-elect, he asked Laney to introduce him on the floor of the Texas House.
On Friday in a prepared statement, Bush called Laney "a fine public servant who has dedicated his long career toward improving the lives of his fellow citizens."
A White House spokesman said that Bush was sending Laney a personal note of thanks as well.
Jones, who eventually returned to Austin in 1989, said Friday that he was "real disappointed" to hear Laney was stepping down.
"He was like all of our West Texas people (in Austin)," Jones said. "He was pretty free and independent. He worked well and freely with everybody.
"Having him drop out is a severe setback for all of West Texas."
His support for Texas Tech and agriculture made Laney essential to the whole region, his supporters said Friday.
Texas Tech regent and former Lubbock Mayor Windy Sitton said she remembered someone telling her soon after Laney lost the speaker's position that she shouldn't be surprised "if Texas Tech doesn't get as much money as before."
Sitton said that backhanded compliment spoke "volumes about his effectiveness."
He also didn't allow his party affiliation to get in the way of helping the predominately Republican Lubbock advance its agenda in Austin, Sitton said.
Having a farmer in the speaker's chair was a boon to agriculture across the state, according to Steve Verett, executive vice president of Plains Cotton Growers Inc.
"From our standpoint, he was one of us," said Verett. "He understood the issues. He was a good bipartisan speaker."
Gary Hughes, who represented state employees and teachers in the Capitol for 20 years, said only one West Texan rivals Laney for influence in the region.
"Pete Laney has done more for West Texas and Texas Tech than anyone else other than Gov. (Preston) Smith," he said.
Working with Bush and Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock, Laney created a standard for bipartisanship that, "frankly, in my opinion, is lacking in the state right now," Hughes said.
Laney said on Friday that he would like to become involved in programs that restore public confidence in government.
He didn't have many other details on his future plans, saying that he still has a year and a month to represent his district.
He said that the recent redistricting battles have caused a lot of damage to rural agricultural interests in the state.
The region should respond by encouraging young people to get involved in the process, he said.
"It's like Sam Rayburn said, 'Elect them young and keep them there,' " Laney said.
To comment on this story:
john.reynolds@lubbockonline.com 766-8725
brian.williams@lubbockonline.com 766-8717
Can Republican pick up this West Texas seat?
"Can Republican pick up this West Texas seat?"
Sounds promising then. Thanks.
Wasn't it Laney that Republicans said would be made to "cry like a little girl"? hee hee hee
I haven't heard that expression about the popular Laney. However, Laney was trying to put together a plan in late 2002, where a dozen or so of the more "moderate" Republicans would join him in a bipartisan-type of speakership for 2003. Of course, it didn't work. I don't think Craddick is as popular in Austin as Laney was among the political types. Presumably Laney's old rival-turned- ally Delwin Jones would have joined the bipartisan group.
Yes, Lubbock goes sometimes 80 percent Republican for President and for nearly all the other offices by a slightly lower margin. Somebody mentioned some years ago on this forum though that the local officials are mostly "moderate" Republicans, including many former Democrats who switched parties to increase their viability in Lubbock County. The same has happened in much of FL too, where ex-Democrats become "Republicans" to win office, but they often keep much of their Democrat philosophy.
Quite a puff piece. Hard to have a lot of warm feelings for someone who worked to ensure the voting-majority Republicans were kept from power until the very last moment. He's getting a taste of what it's like to be in the minority, and he doesn't like it. Adios.
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