AUSTIN — Where there is outrage, there finally may be political opportunity. Or so some Democrats are hoping, following news that the tuition deregulation law is about to dig even deeper into thousands of family budgets.

The law, enacted in 2003 to help offset cuts in higher education appropriations, was demanded by House Speaker Tom Craddick, who forced Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and the Senate to accept it in late-session deliberations over the state budget.

For the first time, university regents were empowered to raise tuition free of legislative control, and student costs soon started rising significantly.

Basic academic charges, including tuition and fees, for resident undergraduates in state-supported schools increased an average of 37 percent between fall 2003 and fall 2006, according to the most recent data from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Basic costs at the University of Texas at Austin increased 47 percent and will increase by another 8 percent next year and 7 percent the year after that, if regents adopt an advisory committee's recommendations.

University officials insist the ever-higher tuition is necessary because legislative appropriations aren't meeting their needs.

So far, the tuition deregulation law hasn't been a major issue in legislative races. Rep. Geanie Morrison, R-Victoria, the House Higher Education Committee chairman who sponsored the bill for Craddick, drew only a minor, independent re-election opponent in 2004 and was unopposed last year.

But now that Craddick is fighting to keep his speakership, some Democrats want to make higher tuition a pocketbook issue against some of Craddick's supporters in 2008 House races.

"There is not a person anywhere — middle-income people with children in college — who are not impacted by this," said Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston. "It's an issue that clearly defines the difference between a Tom Craddick House and a House led by somebody else."

Anti-war advertising

Dan Grant is one of two candidates seeking the Democratic nomination against U.S. Rep. Mike McCaul, R-Austin, in District 10, which stretches from Austin to western Harris County.

His ad so far has been running on cable in the Democratic-leaning Austin portion of the district. It notes that "3,892 Americans ... and counting" have been killed in Iraq and has video of a flag-draped coffin being carried by a military honor guard.

"I've been to Iraq, and I think we've paid enough," says Grant, a former civilian worker in Iraq who is campaigning to bring the troops home.

Leaning on lobbyists

That seems to be the message from Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, who campaigned last year as a political outsider. He bashed Austin lobbyists and his unsuccessful primary opponent for taking campaign contributions from them.

But Patrick realized lobbyists could help him retire his campaign debt. He had at least one Austin fundraiser last year and will have another on Dec. 5. This one is being organized by one of Austin's better-known insiders, lobbyist Mike Toomey, the sometimes-controversial former chief of staff for Gov. Rick Perry.

Patrick said he didn't choose Toomey because of his high-dollar clients but because they are old friends.

Patrick said he still believed there should be restrictions on campaign finance, including a $5,000 limit on individual contributions, although attendees at his Austin function will be under no such cap.

"I'll play by the rules that we have until we change the rules. But we need to change the rules," he said.

Just dropping by

Republican Rudy Giuliani has a fundraiser scheduled in McAllen today, and Republican Mike Huckabee will be in Austin Nov. 26.

Also on Nov. 26, former President Bill Clinton will be in Dallas passing the hat for Hillary, and Hillary will be in Houston two days later.

Barack Obama was in Austin and Houston this past weekend.

clay.robison@chron.com