A big part of me kind of likes the message that one-time Texas Republican firebrand Tom Pauken is delivering to the GOP faithful.

Pauken is running for Texas governor. His only opponent so far is Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, who’s been declared the prohibitive Republican favorite to succeed Rick Perry in January 2015. Perry announced he won’t run for re-election and will “pursue other interests,” such as possibly running for president of the United States in 2016.

http://www.texastribune.org/2013/07/09/pauken-kicks-campaign-governor-capitol/

Pauken says there should be no assumption that Abbott will be anointed governor simply because he holds a statewide elected office. Pauken declares in effect that Abbott is part of whatever problems that plague Texas government.

Pauken plans to launch a fight for the soul of the Republican Party and wants to return it to what he calls “true conservatism,” the kind preached by the late Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan.

Why am I pulling for Pauken?

Most of it is personal. I’ve known Tom for more than 25 years. I’ve visited him at his Dallas office. We’ve shared a few meals together over the years in Beaumont and here in Amarillo. We’ve had a long-standing friendly relationship and he understands we have differing world views. He’s a conservative; I, on the other hand, tilt to the left of center.

But I like the guy. He dislikes the “neocons” who populated President George W. Bush’s inner circle and advised him — badly, in Pauken’s view — about going to war in Iraq. He won’t say it publicly, but much of his criticism of them seems to stem from their lack of military service and a lack of understanding about the consequences of war, such as the casualties it produces and the misery it brings to those who are harmed and their family members.

Pauken served as an Army intelligence officer in Vietnam and has seen war up close. He knows of which he speaks.

He holds a special disregard for Karl (Bush’s Brain) Rove and believes that G.W. Bush was ill-equipped to serve as president.

I look forward to listening to this vigorous debate between Pauken and Abbott. I’ve met the attorney general many times over the years but our relationship has been strictly professional. With Pauken, my regard for him kind of crosses that vague line separating personal and professional relationships.

Would I vote for Pauken were he to be nominated by the GOP next year? That remains to be seen.

But I’m pulling for him nonetheless.