Hutchison’s balancing act on term limits

One’s got to wonder if it’s a smart political move for Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Tex.) to make term limits and anti-incumbent sentiment the cornerstone of her gubernatorial primary campaign against Gov. Rick Perry (R).

From Red Wilson’s story on her campaign kickoff:

“Now he’s trying to stay too long–14 years, maybe longer,” Hutchison said….”Ten years is enough. We can do better,” she said.

“We need results, not politics. And that starts with term limits for Texas governor. For any Governor, eight years is enough,” Hutchison said. “We can’t afford fourteen years of one person appointing every state board, agency and commission. It invites patronage. It tempts cronyism. And it has to stop, now.”

Hutchison, of course, has served in the Senate for 17 years. When she first ran for Lloyd Bentsen’s vacated seat in 1993, she pledged to serve only two terms. She backtracked on that pledge when she ran for re-election in 2006, arguing that since there was no nationwide legislation mandating term limits, Texas shouldn’t unilaterally forfeit its seniority.

But that’s not the argument she’s making when it comes to Perry. Staying in office for too long “invites patrongage,” she says. “It tempts cronyism. And it has to stop, now.”

Of course, being the patronage powers of a Governor are slightly different than those of a Senator. But still…