Welcome Back, Washington Kay

As Congress reconvenes to complete a disastrous year of outrageous spending and intrusive government expansion, D.C. welcomes back a veteran fixture of the Senate: Washington Kay.

“The last thing I want is to be considered
part of the system in Washington, D.C.
because that’s being part of the problem.”
– Kay Bailey Hutchison, 1993

Timing crucial for Hutchison on quitting Senate to run for Texas governor

As Congress returns today from summer recess, Kay Bailey Hutchison opens a final chapter in the Senate, assuming she sticks with her vow to quit soon to focus on her bid for Texas governor.

Congress will be focused almost single-mindedly on health care. But Hutchison will be coping with the reality that she is a self-proclaimed lame duck as she tries to complete unfinished business and score a few political points before stepping down.

“It’s not as if she’s a swing vote,” said Rutgers University political scientist Ross Baker, a leading congressional scholar. He said that once a politician declares an intention to leave, that person doesn’t have a lot of clout. “The assumption is that you’re a short-timer, so there’s not a particular value attached to working with you.”