Retired Lt. General Ricard Sanchez to run for US Senator from Texas

Rio Grande City, Texas native poised to run for US Senate

I heard this bit of news this morning while listening to KTSA 550AM on my car's radio. I figured, I'd look it up later on. Well, it does appear that Sanchez will try to be the democratic candidate vying for the US senate seat being vacated by Kay Bailey Hutchinson.

From the Seattle Times

WASHINGTON — Democratic officials said Monday that retired Army Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez is expected to run for the U.S. Senate in Texas, giving Democrats a high-profile recruit to fill the seat being vacated by GOP Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.
Sanchez is a retired Army lieutenant general and was commander of coalition forces in Iraq when revelations about prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib became public. He gave up his command in 2004 and has maintained that he never authorized torture. He retired in 2006.

FoxNews adds

Sanchez would become the first prominent Democrat to seek Hutchison's seat. Last week, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who runs the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said she expected to field a strong candidate in Texas. Two Democratic officials with first-hand knowledge of Murray's plans, said she was referring to Sanchez.

The Associated Press reached Sanchez by telephone at his home in San Antonio, but Sanchez asked the reporter to call back in a few minutes. When the number was dialed again, the phone was turned off and went straight to voicemail. He did not immediately return a message.

Sanchez so far is the only prominent Democrat in the race to replace Hutchison, Republicans have queuing up for a shot at the seat. Front-runners include wealthy Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, former Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams and current Commissioner Elizabeth Ames Jones. Other GOP candidates include former Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert and former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz. Hutchison announced in January she would retire at the end of her current term.