Janek Takes June Off (Permanently)

After eight years in the House and five in the Senate, Sen. Kyle Janek, R-Houston, is quitting the Legislature.

"Showed up with no wife, no kids, no gray hair, no glasses, and no hearing aid; now look at me," Janek joked, but surrounded by his family, he was visibly moved. Janek said he would stay in office until June 2, to allow him to serve on committees to deal with interim charges and give potential replacements time to consider a run in a November special election. As for his own plans, he said he may stay in Austin with a local anesthesia group.

So who will replace him? Janek said that he had approached former Houston Oiler turned sports commentator Spencer Tillman as a potential replacement, but he doesn't live in District 17. This means either Republicans find a new big name or risk pulling a state rep out of their race. Democrats might be rubbing their hands, since Harris County is one of their big targets, and Janek's oddly shaped district reaches to Galveston, where Rep. Craig Eiland is comfortably ensconced.

Janek's early career in the Senate was blighted for many by his dedication to tort reform, most notably pushing to limit asbestos liability. But in the last session, he had become a voice of moderation on issues that placed him at odds with many orthodox conservatives. He famously switched his position on needle exchanges after Sen. Bob Deuell, R-Greensville, talked him into supporting them, and championed legislation placing greater accountability demands on charter schools. He even gave freshman Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, a quiet word about how the senate works when he tried to get rid of its two-thirds rule.