Eight of the 40 lawmakers who chair House committees are either quitting — that's five — or are either running against or opposing the reelection of House Speaker Tom Craddick.

Make it nine if you include Speaker Pro Tempore Sylvester Turner, a Houston Democrat who says at the end of last session that he'll be a candidate for speaker in January 2009.

All of them supported Craddick at some point — some to the end — but that's nine votes he can't count on next time. As the filing season begins on Monday, Craddick's supporters and his opponents will be trying to fill those holes. It's a two-edged sword: You lose chairs and votes, but you have empty chairmanships to dangle in front of the people whose support you seek. You can't legally promise anything, but the plums still get talked about.

More chairs could open up as various legislators decide not to run, or get beat in March or November. In addition to the mostly honorary speaker pro tempore gig, three chairs are in the hands of members who are either running for speaker or supporting a change in speakers: Civil Practices, chaired by Rep. Byron Cook, R-Corsicana; Human Services, Patrick Rose, D-Dripping Springs; and Ways & Means, Jim Keffer, R-Eastland.

Five chairmen are leaving. Rep. Anna Mowery, R-Fort Worth, resigned earlier this year. She chaired the Committee on Land and Resource Management. Four won't seek reelection: Local Government Ways & Means, Fred Hill, R-Dallas; Natural Resources, Robert Puente, D-San Antonio; Public Health, Dianne White Delisi, R-Temple; and Transportation, Mike Krusee, R-Round Rock.

Nine of Craddick's chairmen are Democrats. Two are listed above. Three more already face serious challengers to reelection: Reps. Kevin Bailey of Houston, Kino Flores of Palmview, and Aaron Peña of Edinburg.