WASHINGTON – Want to watch someone squirm? Ask the Texas Democrats in Congress how they feel about the state's Republican senior senator and whether voters should let her keep her job.

"Why you doing that? Why you doing that? Why?" said Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, grimacing and laughing when asked for her views of Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. After collecting her thoughts, she carefully said: "Senator Hutchison is very involved in the state of Texas and is keenly aware of Texas' needs and works collaboratively with House members on delivering to Texas on some of our crucial concerns."

The state's 11 Democratic House members find themselves in an awkward spot this election season. Ms. Hutchison holds the record for most votes collected by anyone in Texas. Democrats haven't won a statewide race in years. They might need her if they're going to get any legislation passed in the next six years.

So it's a delicate dance, being a team player without alienating a powerful colleague from the other party. And it exemplifies the difficulty Democrat Barbara Ann Radnofsky has gaining traction in her campaign against the popular incumbent.

Although none of the Texas Democrats said they would vote for Ms. Hutchison, most went out of their way to say something nice about her. She regularly attends bipartisan delegation breakfasts. She takes their calls and sometimes calls them. She focuses on Texas projects, unlike such powerful Texas Republicans as former House Majority Leader Dick Armey and former Sen. Phil Gramm.

"She's very strong. She's always been very cooperative. She is the type of individual that will call to be helpful. That says a lot," said Rep. Silvestre Reyes of El Paso, citing Ms. Hutchison's work to protect Texas military bases from budget cuts and secure funds for flood victims. "She's doing a really good job, works with us."

His expression changed as it seemed to hit him that such answers might carry political implications. "You're not trying to get me in trouble, are you?"

And who'll get his vote?

"I've got a committee hearing," he said, laughing and walking off.

Federal campaign records show that only one Texas Democrats in Congress has given financial support to Ms. Radnofsky, a Houston lawyer seeking office for the first time. Rep. Charlie Gonzalez of San Antonio gave $500 in March.

He said Ms. Radnofsky has "great intelligence, keen insight," and they share a political philosophy. At the same time, he said, "I have a good relationship with Senator Hutchison. ... Given the limited, Republican-driven agenda, I cannot complain that she hasn't represented the interests of Texas."

Hutchison campaign manager Matt Matthews said the cross-party compliments show the senator is an effective advocate for the state.

"As the senior senator for Texas, she has always worked to bring the entire delegation together when Texas interests are at stake," he said. "She always has and she always will."

Ms. Radnofsky said she's gotten "good help" from Texas Democrats in Congress and alleged that Ms. Hutchison has privately chewed out several who expressed support for their own party's nominee – a charge none of the lawmakers leveled themselves.

"They have to be more than diplomatic," Ms. Radnofsky said. "The fact that they won't go on record criticizing someone who may take out her annoyance at them by punishing their districts is understandable. It's an interesting way to govern, isn't it?"

She noted that several endorsed her or lent their names to fundraising events a year ago, when she was barely a blip in the polls.

Austin Rep. Lloyd Doggett expressed "wholehearted support," saying: "I like Barbara. It's clearly a very difficult race for her, and I think she's handled herself admirably."

He had no qualms about trying to oust the incumbent: "Senator Hutchison endorsed my opponent last time. I didn't hold that against her. I realized she was a loyal member of her party."

In Dallas, Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson praised the senator's work on lifting Wright amendment flight restrictions and on getting highway funds for Dallas, though she said Ms. Hutchison's reputation for delivering funds is a bit overblown.

"I won't be out campaigning against her," Ms. Johnson said. "I've known her a long, long time. And I am really not one that wants to go out and work against colleagues I work with, unless they have committed something really serious."

Waco Rep. Chet Edwards, the Texas Democrat facing the toughest re-election, chose his words carefully. As the top Democrat on a subcommittee that controls spending on military construction and veterans, he has worked closely with Ms. Hutchison, who chairs the Senate panel with similar duties.

Together, they led the fight to save the Waco Veterans Affairs hospital from budget cuts – so much so that some Republicans grumbled that she was giving him too much political cover.

"It's no surprise to anyone that as a Democratic officeholder I'm voting for Democrats on the ticket, but I'm not getting directly involved in the Senate race," he said. "I don't think I was elected to tell other people how to vote."

Republicans called it a no-brainer for Democrats to tread carefully. "She's strong as horseradish," said Rep. Michael Conaway of Midland. "They know they need to keep a low profile."

Rep. Rubén Hinojosa, D-Mercedes, said that he had worked with Ms. Hutchison "in a very congenial manner" on Texas issues. Asked whom he's voting for, he smiled, gave a thumbs up – and walked away, wordless.

Rep. Henry Cuellar of Laredo, who votes with Republicans more often than any other Texas Democrat, was more openly laudatory than his colleagues, citing ethnic diversity on the senator's staff and her commitment to border issues.

"Not too many Republicans pick up on the issue of colonias, providing water and sewage. She was there from the beginning on that issue. ... She knew the difference between colonias and Las Colinas in Dallas," he joked.

They first crossed paths when she was state treasurer and he chaired a Texas House committee that oversaw her office's budget.

"She used to go to my fundraisers," Mr. Cuellar said. "She's a pretty good moderate."

Was that an endorsement?

"No, no, no, no, no, no," he said, adding, however, "I don't even know who Barbara is."

Rep. Gene Green, who said he will vote a straight Democratic ticket, said his party shouldn't hesitate to work for Ms. Hutchison's defeat.

"They didn't worry about seniority when they got rid of Charlie Stenholm, Martin Frost and Jim Turner," he said, referring to senior Democrats who would have been in line for committee chairs if they hadn't lost their seats in redistricting.

Rep. Solomon Ortiz of Corpus Christi, the longest- serving Texas Democrat in Congress, was the most outspokenly critical, expressing "respect" but complaining that Ms. Hutchison worked against him on some funding he tried to win for his South Texas district.

"We've had our differences," he said. "I think since the Republicans have taken power and control of everything, they think they don't have to talk to Democrats. They think they can do it on their own. This is not good for Texas."