Craddick is Out

My least favorite paper on the planet has some good news for us today. Tom Craddick (emphasis on, well, use you imagination), speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, has withdrawn from the race.

In 2003, Craddick became the first Republican speaker in modern history when Republicans, with an 88-62 majority, first took control of the House. Craddick immediately pushed through a conservative agenda, including lawsuit limits, abortion restrictions and a midterm congressional redistricting plan that prompted Democratic lawmakers to shut down the Legislature by leaving the state.

It was Craddick’s blitzkrieg style as much as the agenda that embittered a hard-core group of House Democrats. When House Republicans started losing elections, the discontent spread to his most-tenured Republican lieutenants.

Not to mention his policy of blatantly ignoring procedures in the house he disagreed with. He will not be missed.