Hall of fame pitcher Nolan Ryan today endorsed Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst in the Texas Senate GOP runoff.

There are few human beings, let alone conservatives, who are more popular than Ryan in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He played for several ball clubs, including the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOB-wI-KtSE

A native Texan, Ryan threw no-hitters well into his forties, is the all-time strikeout leader and holds a unique place in history for his 1993 fight with Robin Ventura of the Chicago White Sox. He is the most popular player in the history of the Rangers and remains a fan favorite in his current role as the team’s CEO.

But an endorsement from Ryan does not always translate to electoral success. He backed Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison in the 2010 Republican gubernatorial primary. She lost that contest to Gov. Rick Perry and Dewhurst and Cruz are running to succeed her in the Senate.

Roll Call rates the Texas Senate race as Safe Republican.