Boyles, Hailey, Wilson, and Perry Sherry Boyles, who considered running for state Democratic Party chairman a couple of years ago, plans to run for the job in June. Current Chairman Charles Soechting won't seek reelection. Boyles is in, as are Boyd Ritchie, an attorney in Graham, and Charlie Urbina Jones, a San Antonio attorney. Boyles, also an attorney, is a former statewide candidate (she lost a Railroad Commission race to Michael Williams in 2002) and a co-founder of Annie's List, a Democratic fundraising group. • Mel Hailey, a former public school teacher who now heads the political science department at at Abilene Christian University, is joining the race to replace Rep. Bob Hunter, R-Abilene, in HD-71. Hailey is a Democrat. Hunter isn't seeking reelection, and the field is growing. Republicans looking hard at the race include Rob Beckham, Kevin Christian, Celia Davis, and Susan King. Beckham lost a close congressional race to Charlie Stenholm in 2002 and is a former member of the Abilene city council. Christian was Hunter's chief of staff and has lately been pushing to name an elementary school aftr his former boss. Davis works in economic development and with military bases and issues in particular. And King was the president of the Abilene school board. • Van Wilson, a developer and a Republican, will run against Rep. Delwin Jones, R-Lubbock, in HD-83. That's getting busy: Frank Morrison, a former Lubbock city councilman, is also getting into that race. • Gov. Rick Perry picked up a couple more endorsements, this time from the Texas Medical Association's political action committee and from the Texas Aggregate and Concrete Association.  

Taylor, Dalrymple, and Clark Nicholas Taylor, a Midland attorney and oil and gas exec, will replace lobbyist and former Rep. Ralph Wayne on the Texas Ethics Commission. Taylor was picked by House Speaker Tom Craddick; he's a former member of the State Securities Board and of the Texas Judicial Council. Gail Dalrymple, a lawyer with Clark, Thomas & Winters in Austin, is joining the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. Eduardo Rodriguez, president of the State Bar of Texas, appointed her. Jeff Clark was reappointed to another two years on the U.S. Small Business Administration's National Advisory Council. Clark, the former executive director of the National Federation of Business' Texas office, runs a consulting and financial services business.