Rep. McCaul weighing 2012 Senate run

Count Texas Rep. Michael McCaul (R) among the Republicans who could jump into an already crowded race for Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's (R-Texas) Senate seat in 2012. 

Just elected to his fourth term in the House, McCaul is among the Republicans mulling a run next year, according to a knowledgeable GOP source in Texas.

The congressman's office wouldn't confirm that he was looking at the race, but in a statement to The Hill, McCaul didn't rule it out. 

"My priority is to ensure that the state of Texas and the office of the United States Senate are served well by the best-qualified candidate," McCaul said in a statement.  

Four Republicans have already jumped into the race, and more are seriously considering a run, including Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst (R). Many observers think Dewhurst is the man to beat on the Republican side if he jumps in, as most expect he will.

Another member of the state's congressional delegation — Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) — said earlier this week that he's also looking at the race. But Barton indicated he was unlikely to get in if Dewhurst decides to run. 

"It's a possibility, but I wouldn't say it's a probability," Barton said of a Senate bid, acknowledging how tough it is to run statewide in Texas from a House seat.

"We have 32 congressional districts in Texas, so anyone who has already run statewide has a built-in advantage," said Barton. "Now, if you're from one of the major metropolitan areas and have pretty good name ID, which I do, it's a little easier. But it's still tough."  

Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) said his interest was piqued by a poll from Democratic-leaning Public Policy, which showed he was the pick of 20 percent of Texas Republicans, second only to Dewhurst, who polled at 23 percent. 

While conceding that a run has "certainly crossed my mind," Paul didn't make a Senate bid sound likely, adding, "It's crossed my mind before, so I don't know that it means much." 

One thing McCaul would have is the ability to put some of his own money into a Senate race should he decide to get in.

Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams resigned his seat on the commission this week to concentrate on a Senate run, and former Solicitor General Ted Cruz, former Secretary of State Roger Williams and Railroad Commissioner Elizabeth Ames Jones are also officially in the race.