By Matthew Watkins - College Station Eagle
An aide to State Sen. Steve Ogden said he will have a statement later this week about his plans for the 2010 election following a weekend shake-up in the race for his seat.
Ogden was in Abilene on Monday in connection with his oil business and had no comment the aide said.
State Rep. Dan Gattis indicated on Sunday that Ogden will run for re-election -- a reversal from a September announcement that the three-term senator wouldnt run in 2010.
The statement came in a surprise announcement that Gattis himself would drop out of the race for the District 5 state senate seat. He was considered by many to be the favorite for the position.
As of Monday the only declared candidate was Huntsville businessman Ben Bius. Reached by phone on Monday he said he doubted Ogden would enter the race.
He doesnt make decisions lightly and he is a very honorable man and I am sure if he changed his mind he would have given me a call by now Bius said. I think any rumor that he is going to change his mind is completely unfounded and baseless.
Bius said the developments made him the overwhelming favorite for the senate seat. He declined to speculate on how an Ogden candidacy would affect his position.
Gattis didnt return phone calls made to his office on Monday. He said in interviews with publications that cover the Texas Capitol that Ogden declined to run for re-election because of a promise he had made to Gattis to drop out so Gattis could run in 2010.
Gattis however said in a press release that he began to change his mind about pursuing the seat because it would require him to spend more time away from his young family.
Meanwhile Ogden has grown interested in returning to the seat to handle a projected budget shortfall in the 2011 legislative session Gattis said. Ogden chairs the powerful Senate budget committee.
It is Senator Ogdens willingness to return to the senate that gives me the peace of mind to withdraw from the race at this time Gattis said in a press release.
