Hard though it may be to believe, the Legislature is back in town.

While there are 181 members of the Legislature, all with varying talents and abilities, there are three officeholders that will loom large over the next five months.

If history is any guide, solutions to the big problems will be broadly hammered out by the big three: Gov. Rick Perry, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and House Speaker Tom Craddick.

But it would be a mistake for you to presume that their shared Republicanism means they are natural allies. Each man brings his own ambitions and constituencies to the table.

In some regards, Perry is the most politically vulnerable of the three. It's no secret that U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn covet his job.

According to most polls, Perry has higher negatives than positives among the general public. However, among the 5,000 – 6,000 traditional GOP primary voters, Perry scores much higher.

		WATCH THE VIDEO
	Lawmakers return The Legislature returns Tuesday with a full plate of important issues.

Neither Hutchison nor Strayhorn will be able to get to the right of him. However, many believe that a contested Republican primary could bring hundreds of thousands of additional unpredictable and uncommitted voters into the primary.

Until redistricting poisoned the atmosphere, Dewhurst was immensely popular in the Senate. He honored the Senate traditions of collegiality and bipartisanship. Few major bills passed the Senate without at least half the Democrats on board. Dewhurst's financial independence translates into political independence. He believes his future political aspirations depend on keeping all the senators invested in the process.

Craddick presided over an incredibly acrimonious and partisan House last session. He ruled with an iron fist and was frequently intransigent in his negotiations with the Gov. and Lt. Gov.

But the backdrop of a grand jury investigation is destabilizing. Plus, speakers are elected to lead and protect the institution. Craddick is in no immediate danger of losing his speakership, but another session like the last threatens a downward spiral of influence. At least for the moment, it looks as if Craddick is trying to cool down the boiling waters.