What a week.
On Monday, it was reported — although some said rumored — that Congressman Darrell Issa was considering a run for a seat in a potentially safer Texas district than his own CA-48th area.
On Wednesday, Issa went on a Dallas radio show to intimate that he indeed might leave California for Texas. “I have to go where I can be of the most use,” he said.
That may be open and honest, quite frankly. What purpose it serves beyond that is a huge unknown, other than possibly checking the political water’s temperature.
Sure, some believe Issa’s openness was purposeful, by motivating the Republican National Committee into supporting his reelection effort at a higher level than previously suggested.
Maybe, as the next day, yesterday, Issa then said he’s staying put in CA. He’ll fight it out here. Michael Smolens today provides some detailed background in the SDUT.
There may be no question, strategically, that Issa should have at least considered the Texas prospects. Talking about it openly, however, seems to give a bucketful of chum to the several Democrats already circling his Orca, making him look like a man more in search of a safe seat than anything else.
The political mail may be writing itself.
Many are naysaying the Issa decision to go on out-of-state radio to say he has his finger in the air measuring the wind. Could they be missing the point?
I’ll end this with a complete list of all the strategic benefits such a decision provides Issa as he tries to keep his seat:
