March 7, 2014 12:00 PM

AFTER WINNING AS A TEA PARTY "OUTSIDER," HUFFINES IMMEDIATELY TRIES TO GAIN SUPPORT FROM LOBBYISTS

"Classless" invitation went out the day after the election

After running a very disciplined and victorious campaign as an “outsider” and the Tea Party alternative to Sen. John Carona, R-Dallas, real estate developer Don Huffines moved quickly this week to try to garner the support of lobbyists here in Austin.

One of the very first things he’s done as Senator-Elect Huffines is extend an invitation to lobbyists to join him at the Austin Club on April 1 for a fundraiser. In an invitation that went out Wednesday, Huffines' campaign told the lobby in a not-so-subtle way that "It's not too late” to give money to his campaign and they can still “come on board!" the late-train. Above those words appears the image of a train topped with the words “All Welcome!” One lobbyist who received the invitation said it was “just classless.”

By Scott Braddock