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TERRIE GONZALEZ herald@mediactr.com The campaign of Brian K. Walker, the man who would like to be state representative in District 11, has an eerie resemblance to the Wizard of Oz.

While his image was on the TV screen, Mr. Walker talked the talk - but who has been pulling the strings in the control booth next to the talking head?

I am vexed by Mr. Walker's unwillingness to speak for himself and answer simple, straightforward questions.

Beginning the day of the Nov. 4 General Election and continuing until last week, Mr. Walker and his staff have dodged more than 25 calls from the Cherokeean Herald. We understand the Dallas Morning News has had the same problem reaching him. Here is the background:

His race against incumbent state Rep. Chuck Hopson was a really close one. After all ballots were counted, Mr. Walker lost by just 103 votes.

A recount petition kept Mr. Walker's electoral challenge "in the news" for seven weeks. By Dec. 3, the four-county recount was over and Mr. Hopson's lead grew to 125 votes.

With every twist and turn down this yellow brick road, the Cherokeean Herald attempted to call Mr. Walker for reaction to basic questions.

Week 1: "It's a close finish. Are you going to seek a recount?"

Week 3: "How will the Thanksgiving holidays impact the recount?"

Week 5: "Are you going to concede the election?"

Week 7: "Are you going to contest the election?"

Week 8: "Why are you withdrawing your petition to contest the election?"

We have called his mobile number. His campaign number. His work number. His campaign manager. And his Las Vegas consultant's land line and cell.

Twice we got a call-back from his handler.

On Dec. 15, we tried again to reach Mr. Walker on whether he planned to contest the election - the final card left in the tight election.

At 4:15 p.m. on the final day to request a contested hearing, Mr. Walker answered the phone, "Law office, Brian."

We asked the same question four different times, and he declined to answer the simple question: "Do you plan to contest the election?"

He referred us to his spokesman at Ryan Erwin Associates, a political consulting firm based in Las Vegas, whom he has paid more than $13,000 in consulting fees. Mr. Walker also said he would speak with us the next day. And then the line went dead.

The following day, we made the usual phone calls, left the usual messages, and still we did not get a call-back.

A few days after the General Election, Republican Party chairman, Josie Schoolcraft, acknowledged that Mr. Walker does not always return phone calls. She cheerfully agreed to relay a message on our behalf. "He'll take a call from me when he won't take one from other people."

The real question that begs to be asked

is, "How responsive would Mr. Walker be to the citizens of District 11 had he been elected?" Most recently, Mr. Walker decided to withdraw his petition. Once again, we could not reach him for a comment. The Ryan Erwin handler, Cory Kennedy, returned our phone call and he made the oddest statement: "I am not on record right now for Brian Walker. You will receive information from

us shortly if you are on deadline."

On Dec. 15, Mr. Walker told us that Mr. Kennedy was the "go to" guy that Mr. Walker asked us to call. And now Mr. Kennedy says that Mr. Walker is the "go to" guy."

Who is in charge of this campaign?

We expressed our frustration at the inaccessibility of everyone in the Walker campaign, and cited the 25 phone calls that were never returned.

Dec. 23, we received a simple e-mail message:

"Mrs. Gonzalez,

"Here is our release. Your (sic) getting it before anyone else. Sorry that we've been hard to get a hold of."

The e-mail arrived after our press deadline.

The questions we wanted to ask Mr. Walker were straightforward and easy compared to the challenges that lie ahead in the Texas Legislature.

"Will you support a pay increase for correctional officers?"

"Where will you stand on the business margins tax?"

"Will you support the eligibility for the Medicaid Medically Needy program to populations that were eligible before the program cuts of 2003?"

Clearly, Mr. Walker is ambitious and wants to be state representative - he has placed his name on the ballot twice in his quest. In all probability we will see his name on the ballot in the future.

In the event that Mr. Walker decides to run for public office again, we suggest that he run a post mortem on the way that communications were handled by his campaign.

Here are basic cannons to follow if a candidate wants to be taken seriously:

• put someone in charge who is authorized to answer questions

• never direct a reporter to a paid consultant, and then have the paid consultant point back to the candidate

• insist that all calls are returned promptly

It is logical to assume that the way a person runs a campaign will be the way that individual manages the constituents' business in public office.

In contrast, the lines of communication with state Rep. Chuck Hopson (D-Jacksonville) and state Sen. Robert Nichols (R-Jacksonville) have always been prompt, even if their staff had to research a question.

If the Wizard of Oz isn't available to take calls, does anyone have the cell phone number for the guy in the control booth pushing the buttons?