Sherry Boyles for Texas Democratic Party chair

Mike Hailey reports on his Capitol Insider that:

Austin lawyer Sherry Boyles has apparently decided to throw her name into the ring of contenders for Texas Democratic Party chair.

Boyles, a former state party official who fell short in a bid for railroad commissioner in 2002, will join North Texas activist Boyd Richie as the only two candidates so far in the race to replace State Chairman Charles Soechting, who intends to step down when his term ends next summer.

I say run, Sherry, run. While it may have been a bit hard to see her as a natural for RR commissioner, she's ideally suited to be state chair. Her stump speech about being the daughter of a Baptist preacher in NE Texas speaks to Rs and revs up Ds alike.

She knows politics, she's smart, she can raise money, and she's young. You won't see her bringing in George Shipley. We might even see, gasp, some fresh, creative ideas. And hopefully, having worked for, seen, and learned from the devastation caused by Molly Beth, Sherry will actually be able to recruit and keep talented staff.

Also of note:

While Boyles only received 42 percent of the vote in duel against incumbent Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams, she finished with more votes than any other Democrat in a non-judicial statewide contest with the exception of John Sharp in the lieutenant governor's race and Kirk Watson in his quest for attorney general that year.