So now, the Republican Party of Texas has put out the invite for the remaining GOP presidential hopefuls to debate here before the May 29 primary elections.

Party chairman Steve Munisteri said he’s already gotten yesses from Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul. The only one he hadn’t heard from is Mitt Romney, who is considering it.

Now, think: You’re Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts, who’s already stuck his expensive shoe in his silver-spoon mouth repeatedly.

Not worried about the poor; they’ve got a safety net. Doesn’t attend many NASCAR races, but has good friends who own NASCAR teams. Has a funny story about when Dad closed down an auto-making factory. Likes to be able to fire people.

Not exactly part of the down-home guy picture, even if he does campaign some in blue jeans.

Now, think about the three other debaters – none likely vice-presidential material, and none more taken with the Republican Party’s success than their own:

Gingrich: the former House Speaker knew from the get-go (one hopes) that his being selected as the Republican nominee, and then president, was up there with his colonizing the moon without the aid of rockets.

This is about keeping his name ID up, selling books and boosting his profile to make speeches for money. Taking adoring wife Callista on luxury cruises, after all, ain’t cheap. An occasional snarl keeps him on TV; one more chance.

Santorum: the last best hope for the twoterm Pennsylvania senator, who chalked up the worst re-election loss in that state’s history.

Since then, he’s made a few million doing what Gingrich has, which is peddling his presumed insider knowledge and connections on the DC lobby circuit. But the limelight still beckons.

He, too, must know what Gingrich (one hopes) already knows – that the winner’s circle has no space for his horse. That said, he’s gotten farther, while still being overwhelmingly outspent, than anyone would have imagined.

So Romney’s going to stand up there on TV and take pot shots from both him and Gingrich?

And then there’s Ron Paul. If it was just going up against Paul, that would be one thing. What you see with U. S. Rep. Ron Paul is what you get. No hidden agenda. He knows what he’s for and what he’s against. And he knows he’s not going to win.

He’s making ideological points. He’s building a movement. On Aug. 20, he’ll be 77. So if there’s a carrier of the grail, it’s probably son Rand, a senator from Kentucky with pretty similar libertarian beliefs.

Paul and Romney seem to like each other. But it’s not just debating Paul, whose noninterventionist foreign policy approach falls a little outside more hawkish Republican circles. His beliefs are plain enough that people know quickly if they agree with him enough to be for him, or not. That builds in a natural ceiling.

It’s those other two. Romney must be thinking: Am I crazy?

What do you think? If you’re Romney, would you debate those guys, after you’re already on the glide slope to the nomination?

I’d be surprised if his schedule wasn’t sort of full up already. Romney may occasionally say stuff that makes him seem a little crazy. But he’s not stupid.

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Localizing women’s health . . . . Cops in San Angelo recently handed out tickets to motorists for honking in front of Planned Parenthood’s clinic there, to show their support.

The clinic has been picketed over the years by abortion opponents, the San Angelo Times reported. But recently, in response to the state of Texas jerking women’s health funding from Planned Parenthood, its supporters have shown support.

Planned Parenthood provides health care to women including pap smears, mammograms, breast exams and other services. But nine-to-one federal matching funds for the services have been withheld by the feds because Texas no longer allows choice for women in treatment sites.

Gov. Rick Perry and the state refused to include Planned Parenthood clinics because one arm of the organization provides abortions.

Signs: “Honk if you support Planned Parenthood” versus “Honk if your mother chose life.”

The cops couldn’t force removal of the signs, but said they’d write tickets for unnecessary honking – a violation of state law.

Both sides still honked. Despite evenhandedness promised by police, the newspaper reported the only folks getting the $160 tickets were pro-Planned Parenthood.

The Tom Green County Democratic chairwoman pledged free legal help to fight the tickets, regardless of which side folks were on.

And so the federal and the state fights reach the local level. Stay tuned.

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And So On. . . . Interesting to hear Gov. Rick Perry endorsing Pink Slime.

For at least the past several weeks, we had thought he was for Newt Gingrich.

Contact McNeely at davemcneely111@gmail.com or (512) 458- 2963.