You can add Rep. Joe L. Barton to the long list of Texas officeholders who might run for the Senate seat Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison will resign this fall.

Joe L. Barton (CQ/Scott J. Ferrell)

According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram , a Barton spokesman says the congressman is thinking about running and “believes serving the entire state of Texas as their next senator would be an honor.”  

There’s another compelling reason why Barton and other Texas officeholders are weighing a Senate bid: they won’t have to surrender their current offices if they ran for Hutchison’s seat.