Going West

State Rep. Jim Pitts said Monday that though he personally opposed House Speaker Tom Craddick in the last legislative session, Buddy West's allegiance never wavered.

Pitts challenged Craddick's speaker position in January 2007. West fell under some hometown ire after pledging his support to the Midland incumbent in the speaker race but later voting against the Craddick camp and party lines in two procedural votes that many labeled "allegiance tests."

Pitts said very plainly Monday that West's allegiance was never in question.

"Buddy was not going to vote for me for speaker," said Pitts, who has shared a desk in with West in the Legislature for six years. "My son said, ‘Buddy, will you give my dad this vote?' It was not for speaker. We knew where he stood on that - he stands for West Texas.

"Buddy said, ‘I'll do it for you, Brian.' " Pitts said, noting that his children call Buddy and Shirley West their aunt and uncle. "That's the only reason he voted with me."

Pitts, as well as State Reps. Edmund Kuempel, Jim Keffer and Delwin Jones all threw their support behind West on Monday at a news conference at the MCM Eleganté Hotel. Former West opponents Jesse Gore and Randy Rives also were invited. Gore was there, but Rives did not attend.

At the event, Pitts said he doesn't see any reason to doubt West's allegiance or his ability to work with neighboring Midland.

"He does support Tom Craddick," Pitts said.

In fact, after the news conference, West said Craddick had been invited to attend.

"He couldn't make it, though. He's in Austin," West said.

Alexis DeLee, Craddick's press secretary, said Monday "we want to make it perfectly clear that the speaker declined to attend the event today" which was to show support for West.

She further said that the speaker has not endorsed anyone.

"We don't endorse in the primary," she said. "...The speaker feels that Odessa is fortunate to have choices in the runoff," she said.

DeLee did point out that Craddick considers Lewis a "good, personal friend."

Lewis said Monday he was surprised that West would mention that Craddick was invited.

"I don't know of any reason that Tom Craddick would endorse or support Buddy," Lewis said. "For many reasons, but most specifically because Buddy refused to support the speaker from this area for re-election in the last session."

Lewis also pointed out that Pitts, Keffer and Jones have come out against Craddick in the last legislative session.

"They are people who want to move the only powerful position that this area has in state government out of West Texas," Lewis said. "If I'm not mistaken, Keffer and Pitts and Delwin Jones either are now or recently have run against Tom Craddick for speaker."

Lewis also said Pitts has made legislative decisions that were bad for West Texas.

"I know that Jim Pitts did two things in the last session: he led the charge against UTPB funding and tried to kill the funding appropriations for UTPB at the last minute in the last session," Lewis said.

"And, he was among those who tried to make a last-minute move to get a vote on the speakership to try to remove Mr. Craddick as speaker at the last minute of the last session," he said.

In fact, Lewis called on West to reject the support of Pitts, Keffer and Jones.

"So these people - and I don't know anything about Mr. Kuempel - but Mr. Pitts, Mr. Keffer and Delwin Jones are the leaders of the faction that are trying to get the speakership out of the Permian Basin," Lewis said. "And fortunately, very fortunately for us, that has not worked.

"And I wish very much that Buddy West would reject their support and work for the interests of UTPB and work for the interests of West Texas instead of having these people against those interests support him," Lewis said.

West has repeatedly brought up his support of UTPB as one of his accomplishments while in office.

Pitts, however, while speaking, praised West for his tireless efforts for the Odessa university.

During the news conference, West asked voters to support him for a ninth term in the State House of Representatives.

"Since 1992, we've accomplished many legislative feats," he said. "We still have more work to do."

In particular, West said, he's working on or supporting bills for teacher pay increases, teacher retirement, school police officer benefits, water rights, preventing illegal border crossing and education funding.

"We're working on all those now," he said.

At the beginning of the news conference, West called Pitts, Keffer, Jones, Kuempel and Gore his friends.

"In the cookies of life, friends are the chocolate chips," he read from a decoration his wife gave him.

Later, after the news conference, West said Pitts, Keffer, Jones and Kuempel planned the news conference to support him.

"They called me and said, ‘Is there anything we can do to help you?' They put it together," he said.

However, all media releases about the event came from West's office, including two from West's chief of staff Erin C. Tresner and one from spokesman Mark Sanders in Austin.

West's fellow representatives did, throughout the news conference, often speak in favor of the eight-term state representative.

Keffer, R-Eastland, said West has skills he'd like to see back in Austin.

"Buddy will work with anyone," Keffer said. "That's especially important as we approach parity between Republicans and Democrats in the House.

Jones, whose Lubbock district borders Odessa's, said he considers West part of his team.

"I'm here because I feel like we're a rural block, a rural team of conservatives," Jones said. "Buddy's part of our rural conservative team.

"I also think experience is important," said Jones, a 14-term incumbent.

Pitts, R-Waxahachie, was succinct in his plea for support of West.

"Please send my deskmate back to Austin," he said.

Who was there?

The following office holders or candidates on Monday endorsed Buddy West for state representative district 81.

>> District 10 State Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie.

>> District 44 State Rep. Edmund Kuempel, R-Seguin.

>> District 60 State Rep. Jim Keffer, R-Eastland.

>> District 83 State Rep. Delwin Jones, R-Lubbock.

>> Former District 81 state representative candidate Jesse Gore.