ESPN VP/Communications Mike Soltys yesterday would not speculate on whether college football analyst Craig James "would be on-air" for Sunday's Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl if he declares himself a candidate for the open Texas U.S. Senate seat, according to Michael Hiestand of USA TODAY. Soltys said, "He told us today he hasn't decided if he wants to run" (USA TODAY, 12/14). In Dallas, Gromer Jeffers Jr. cited sources as saying that James will file his candidacy "by Thursday's deadline." Jeffers noted James is "running in the March 6 GOP primary" (DALLASNEWS.com, 12/13). In Houston, Amanda Sakuma reported James is entering the Republican primary contest "to replace retiring Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's open seat in 2012." As the "founder of Texans for a Better America, James has been subtly positioning himself for the political limelight." James "floated his name in 2010 as a potential senatorial candidate" if Hutchison resigned to run for Governor against Rick Perry, but she "didn't leave office at the time" (CHRON.com, 12/13). In Ft. Worth, Anna Tinsley noted there has "long been speculation that James ... would leave ESPN after the season to seek political office" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 12/14).
