Race for District 4 state Senate becomes crowded

Perry set the election date for May 10, with the deadline for candidates to file set for 5 p.m. March 10. The election will not require a primary, but it will allow candidates from all political parties to run for the position. The winning candidate needs to earn 50 percent of the votes, or a runoff election will be required to name the winner.

Toth and Creighton both said their terms for their positions on House Districts 15 and 16, respectively, are up for election next year with the Republican Primary scheduled for March. Their terms on the House end January 2015.

However, both representatives said they are firm in their decisions to run for the open senate seat.

"I've made it abundantly clear that I'm in this thing, and if I have to choose between the House and the Senate, I'm running for the Senate," Toth said. "I think it's where I can have the greatest impact for Texas. This is where I can have the greatest impact for my children and their generation. You're one of 31 in the Senate instead of 150 in the House."

Creighton had initially considered candidacy for Texas Agriculture Commissioner, but he dropped out of the race once Williams made his surprise announcement.

"For the first few weeks of our look at a statewide race, you're covering a lot of ground and working all over the state and managing things at home," Creighton said. "Everyone was shocked and surprised that Senator Williams would decide to drop out early. My wife and I talked about it and prayed about it and decided serving the Senate District 4 at home was the best [decision]."

Bunch said he was already considering whether to run for the Senate seat when the position came up again for election in two and a half years. He said Williams' announcement came the week he started studying the district to develop a strategy.

"I had already begun the process, of 'OK, what can I do after I accomplish everything I can accomplish with the township?'" Bunch said. "And the next logical step would be to run for the state Senate."

However, Bunch may not be the only township director running for the vacant senate seat. Chairman Bruce Tough and Director Nelda Blair would neither confirm nor deny their intentions to run for the position following Williams' formal resignation.

"I wouldn't say no yet," Blair said.

Blair opted not to run for re-election for her position on The Woodlands Township Board of Directors, and her two-year team ends this month. Tough ran unopposed for his position on the township board and said he hopes to continue serving as chairman. However, he did not rule out the possibility he may run for Williams' Senate seat or for Toth's open House seat.

"I'm dedicated for public service," Tough said. "I've had a lot of people ask me to consider it. I'm very honored that people would want me to run for either position. I have not made a decision [about running] yet."