Hutchison forms committee, White to decide next week.

Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison sent Texas politics into a frenzy today, after forming an exploratory committee for Governor.  According to all the experts, the battle should be bruising in the Republican primary, and Harris Co. Republican Party Chair Jared Woodfill admitted as much.

"The concern is obviously when you have a Republican running against a Republican is that it's becoming bitter, and getting people to come back together for November will be harder,” says Woodfill, “because our full focus should be on defeating the Democrats.”

So that leaves the big question in town, what about Bill White, Houston’s Mayor?  The Democrat has made no bones about the fact that he wants to run for something, and today, he told me that a final decision will come sometime next week.  He says he’s considering running for either the Governor’s seat, or Hutchison’s vacated Senate seat.

“Those are two things that I’ve been weighing,” said White.  “Sometimes I want to get back to private business, but more likely than not, I want to continue to serve people around here..and throughout the state.”

White’s closest advisors were all zipping lips today.  White himself said more than anyone, he listens to his wife, Andrea.

Back on the Republican side, Governor Rick Perry’s spokesperson called Hutchison “Kay Bailout” today. That’s of course, in reference to Hutchison’s role in the passage of the $700 Billion dollar bailout.

Hutchison fired back, saying “There's too much bitterness, too much anger, too little trust, too little consensus and too much infighting.  and the tone comes from the top. Texans are looking for leadership and results."

Our Eyewitness News political consultant Dr. Richard Murray crystallized the whole affair.

“This will get mean and nasty because first two people want the same job, and one has it and one wants it. But they don't like each other. One's an Aggie and one's an UT grad.

So what does that mean for White?  Stay tuned!