July 13, 2005

Frank Denton Makes Candidacy Official
for Open East Texas State Senate Seat

By Mike Hailey
Capitol Inside Editor

If it's true that State Senator Todd Staples really hoped to anoint a successor to the seat he's giving up next year, the Palestine Republican struck out Tuesday when another one of the three candidates he apparently opposes announced that he's officially in the race.

In a statement declaring his candidacy for Senate District 3, Conroe businessman Frank Denton didn't mention the recent uproar over reports that Staples had already taken sides with a different candidate in the Republican primary battle for the seat he's held for the past four years.

According to the Conroe Courier, Denton told supporters at the Montgomery County Republican Party office that the time had come for a "grassroots Republican" - not a "country club Republican" - to represent the East Texas seat.

SD 3 was Democratic Party property until an accountant from Carthage named Drew Nixon claimed it for the GOP in the 1994 general election. Staples became the second Republican in modern times to hold the seat after voters chose him to replace Nixon in 2000. But Staples' decision to seek a promotion to state agriculture commissioner leaves SD 3 up for grabs in 2006.

The Senate race will probably be decided in the Republican primary from a field of candidates that includes a pair of East Texas businessmen - Bob Reeves of Center businessman and David Kleimann of Willis. Former Jacksonville Mayor Robert Nichols resigned his position on the Texas Transportation Commission late last month in order to seek the seat as well.

While Staples hasn't made an official endorsement in the race to replace him, Kleimann essentially did that for him when he blew the whistle on the incumbent for allegedly trying to pressure him out of running so Nichols would have clear sailing to the Republican nomination in March. Staples' consultant denied the story. Denton and Reeves have refused to be dragged into the war of words over Staples' lack of neutrality in the Republican primary competition.

Denton, 56, said he decided to run after receiving encouragement from friends and supporters. He listed property tax appraisal caps, private property rights and family values as priority issues. "I will take my orders from you, the people, not the special interests," Denton said.

The president of an investment firm, Denton is one of Governor Rick Perry's appointees on the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation board. A father of two with four grandchildren, Denton and his wife have been married for 37 years.