tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11287629972025522762024-03-08T09:53:09.525-06:00kayvsrick.com | A blog following Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and Governor Rick PerryWe are tracking the 2010 Texas Gubernatorial Republican Primary between Kay Bailey Hutchison and Rick Perry.Live Football Worldwidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09334277731598288854noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128762997202552276.post-83472352341225442562009-10-25T00:32:00.007-05:002009-10-25T00:53:53.045-05:00Kay Must Decide, says new Texas GOP Chair and Perry supporter Cathie Adams<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.inquisitr.com/wp-content/crystal-ball.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 190px; height: 128px;" src="http://www.inquisitr.com/wp-content/crystal-ball.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />W. Gardner Selby at the Austin American-Statesman <a href="http://www.statesman.com/news/content/region/legislature/stories/2009/10/25/1025hutchison.html">reported today</a> that "Cathie Adams of Dallas, who also said she won't be withdrawing her earlier endorsement of GOP Gov. Rick Perry's re-election, said her hope that Hutchison acts on the resignation issue reflects concern among party activists waiting for Hutchison's decision before setting their own political plans or making political commitments."<br /><blockquote>"It would help the people of the state of Texas to know more clearly, especially by (the candidate filing deadline of) Jan. 4," Adams said, "because if she resigns after that, we're going to throw things into quite an unknown."</blockquote>Selby also reports that, "Adams told reporters it would be impossible for her to withdraw her earlier endorsement of Perry for another term."<br /><br />There are 39 days remaining until the Filing Period begins. Perhaps Senator Hutchison will soon reveal her plans for the future to all of us. Several folks have been puzzled by the lack of information and action coming out of Team Kay. You'd thought that she would have publicized the sale of her Washington, DC home; instead we're all wondering what's going on?!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128762997202552276.post-84379540761509319512009-10-22T22:57:00.006-05:002009-10-25T00:58:23.436-05:00Gov. Perry won't rule out a 2nd attempt at Texas-Trans Corridor<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_NtC_rpd0ZKw/SuPozvI05vI/AAAAAAAABFs/Kt1fm9TqV1s/s1600-h/perry2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 130px; height: 121px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_NtC_rpd0ZKw/SuPozvI05vI/AAAAAAAABFs/Kt1fm9TqV1s/s200/perry2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396412754044446450" border="0" /></a><br />Phillip Martin at BOR just released a transcript and provided a link to a YouTube video of Governor Perry earlier today stating that he wouldn't not rule out a Texas-Trans Corridor No. 2.<br /><strong><br /></strong><blockquote><strong>Question</strong>: "Would Proposition 11 prevent future Trans-Texas corridors from seizing private land."<strong><br /><br />Perry</strong>: "This is where a government entity can take a piece of property and hand it over to a private developer for development, to enhance tax revenues. When we're building highways in the state of Texas, that still stays the sovreign land of the state of Texas. So when the next road that's built in the state of Texas and there's eminent domain [unclear word] that goes into place..."<br /><br />Regardless, the fact that Perry was asked -- rather point blank -- about whether or not the constitutional amendment prohibits future Trans-Texas Corridors, and ducked the question, is newsworthy.<br /></blockquote>The link to the YouTube video is <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgaAQ9buwJM">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgaAQ9buwJM</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128762997202552276.post-70740630658584253032009-09-24T19:42:00.004-05:002009-10-25T01:00:42.259-05:00Perry: Washington Republicans got us in this mess<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_NtC_rpd0ZKw/SuPpgMMuZWI/AAAAAAAABF0/g0qYzQ9r9yg/s1600-h/gop-logo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 96px; height: 81px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_NtC_rpd0ZKw/SuPpgMMuZWI/AAAAAAAABF0/g0qYzQ9r9yg/s200/gop-logo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396413517759669602" border="0" /></a><br />Jason Embry at the <a href="http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/politics/entries/2009/09/24/perrys_tone_angers_his_dc_alli.html">Austin American-Statesman reports</a> that Rick Perry and his Chief of Staff, Ray Sullivan, attended a donkey roast of a meeting with Washingtonian republicans:<br /><p></p><blockquote><p>Gov. Rick Perry’s broad criticisms of Washington Republicans aren’t sitting well with Washington Republicans.</p> <p>In a closed-door meeting Thursday in Washington with Perry chief of staff Ray Sullivan, several top aides to Texas Republican U.S. House members expressed anger over the language Perry is using as he tries to fend off a challenge from U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. Perry often criticizes Hutchison in code by complaining about Washington.</p> <p>Stoking their anger was a Sept. 14 fundraising letter in which Perry contrasts Texas’ relatively healthy budget climate with the Washington model of “more government, pork barrel spending and fiscal ruin.”</p> <p>But instead of just talking about Democratic congressional leaders or President Barack Obama, the letter calls out Republicans.</p> <p>“Let’s be frank,” the letter says. “Washington Republicans got us in this mess.”</p> <p>Later in the letter, Perry writes, “If Washington Republicans hadn’t spent like Democrats for 12 years, they might have maintained enough votes to actually kill Obamacare.”</p></blockquote><p></p> <p>Hutchison’s campaign sent the fundraising letter to Republican chiefs of staff on Capitol Hill.</p><p>One would think Perry switched back to the Democratic party after reading Embry's post. We tip our hats to Jason's muckraking style of reporting. Embry's report continues with:</p><p></p><blockquote><p>According to two sources in Thursday’s meeting who did not want to be named because they did not want to draw attention to their bosses, Sullivan was unapologetic. “He was nice, but he said, ‘We’re running against somebody from Washington and that’s the strategy,’ ” one source said.</p> <p>Another said of Sullivan’s reaction, “I think there was shock and awe with the arrogance of it all.”</p></blockquote><p></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128762997202552276.post-48079342140191937442009-08-22T13:25:00.013-05:002009-10-25T01:02:27.484-05:00Perry campaign goes Negative, launches anti-Kay website<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_NtC_rpd0ZKw/SuPp6blkaAI/AAAAAAAABF8/dxqjwVJXpMY/s1600-h/wkbanner.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 156px; height: 110px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_NtC_rpd0ZKw/SuPp6blkaAI/AAAAAAAABF8/dxqjwVJXpMY/s200/wkbanner.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396413968567003138" border="0" /></a><br />Well, it didn't take long for Governor Rick Perry's campaign to go negative.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Texans for Rick Perry</span> has created and posted a website named "washingtonkay.com" in an attempt to portray her as a 'Washington outsider' and rapidly counter Kay's campaign.<br /><br />We're not sure how long Perry's campaign will keep the negative website around, but for now it seems to indicate Rick's camp was shaken up earlier this week with Kay's allegations of redundant bill signing around the state for political purposes.<br /><br />The website is <a href="http://www.washingtonkay.com/">http://www.washingtonkay.com</a> and includes altered photos of Senator Hutchison that make her appear goofy. Visitors to the website can download a variety of YouTube videos that seem to have been developed to respond quickly to Kay's camp using the internet. Graphics and PDF documents may also be downloaded that attempt to show differences between the "Washington Kay" and the "Texas Kay".<br /><br />Here at KVR we believe that Governor Perry is walking a very fine line. First of all, the site is outright negative in content. The site attempts to humorously ridicule a standing U.S. Senator elected by Texans to represent our state in Washington. Its also easy to construe this new website as misogynistic. Texas has a history of strong women leaders in politics. I'm not sure we've ever seen anything like this in recent political history; even with Strayhorn's gubernatorial bid.<br /><br />We're waiting to see what Kay's campaign will do in response to this website. They will either ignore it to try and stave off attention from the new site or meet it head-on with a site of their own or calling shame on Perry's camp.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128762997202552276.post-56341673559570604392009-07-28T20:53:00.005-05:002009-07-28T21:01:43.301-05:00Sen. Hutchison will vote 'no' on Judge Sonya Sotomayer<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/photo/2009/05/26/PH2009052601492.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 119px;" src="http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/photo/2009/05/26/PH2009052601492.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Senator Hutchison has announced that she will join Senator's Hatch and Cornyn by not supporting Judge Sonya Sotomayer in her bid for SCOTUS.<br /><br />The Associated Press reports:<br /><blockquote>Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison says she will vote against confirming Sonia Sotomayor to be a Supreme Court justice.<p>She said Tuesday she is concerned about Sotomayor's views on the Second Amendment on the right to bear arms. Hutchison is from Texas, where the population is more than a third Hispanic.</p><p>Sotomayor is expected to be confirmed as the first Hispanic justice of the high court.</p><p>Texas' junior senator, John Cornyn, voted against Sotomayor on Tuesday as the Senate Judiciary Committee approved the nomination on a 13-6 vote and sent it to the full Senate.</p><p>Hutchison is seeking the 2010 GOP nomination for governor in Texas.</p></blockquote><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128762997202552276.post-47383096226484980932009-07-27T17:56:00.009-05:002009-07-27T18:22:47.975-05:00Kay expands Campaign Staff, surpasses Perry's re-election team in growthGardner Shelby at the <a href="http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/politics/entries/2009/07/27/hutchison_campaign_changing_ma.html">Austin American-Statesman</a> just published an article about significant changes to Senator Hutchison's gubernatorial campaign staff.<br /><blockquote>Wiley and Sullivan said the change in leadership, finalized last week, was not in reaction to Hutchison losing ground to GOP Gov. Rick Perry in recent polls. Instead, the two said, the addition of new staff and consultants reflected timely growth in a campaign intent on making history.<br /><br />“As with any campaign, you build as you go,” Sullivan said. “You don’t hit the ground with a full staff.<br /><br /> “This is big; this is going to be one of the biggest races the country has ever seen outside of a presidential race. This is a multi-dimensional campaign. We want to make sure we’ve got the firepower to win.”<br /><br /> Sullivan, 35, said he’s never managed a gubernatorial campaign. But he previously worked in Texas for Hutchison in 2005, leaving then only after Hutchison chose not to challenge Perry in 2006.<br /><br /> “It’s going to be fun to kick Rick Perry’s record around for the next seven months,” Sullivan said.<br /><br /> Sullivan managed Jim DeMint’s 2004 win of a Senate seat in South Carolina. Later, he coached various Senate campaigns before managing presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s effort in South Carolina in 2008.</blockquote>Shelby also reports that Kay's campaign staff is larger than Governor Perry's re-election team and growing:<br /> <blockquote>Hutchison’s campaign, which already exceeded the size of Perry’s operation, is also set to reveal other hires, which Wiley and Sullivan characterized as signs of a promising build-up rather than a troubling shake-up.<br /><br /> Two individuals will focus on communication with reporters and a third will be handling rapid response to incidents and sallies from Perry’s campaign. Over the past few weeks there has been great speculation about whether Kay should or would drop out of her bid for the Governorship. Shelby's report seems to indicate otherwise; instead Kay's campaign seems strong and organized.<br /><br /> Jeff Sadosky’s arrival as press secretary amounts to no surprise considering Hutchison’s campaign earlier this year retained Hans Klingler, formerly with the Republican Party of Texas, as communications director but didn’t immediately designate a press secretary entrusted with day-to-day reporter contacts. Sadosky took the campaign job this week after joining Hutchison’s Washington staff as communications director earlier this year.<br /><br /> The campaign’s new senior communications adviser, Jennifer Coxe-Baker, previously helped Mel Martinez of Florida win a Senate seat. She also was a spokeswoman for the Bush administration’s Secretary of Labor.<br /><br /> Joe Pounder, designated the deputy communications director, will focus on rapid response. He has worked for U.S. Eric Cantor of Virginia, the Republican Whip, for whom he composed this <a href="http://republicanwhip.house.gov/blog/">blog today</a>, and Romney’s presidential campaign. (A reader forwarded this Pounder <a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/24580.html">profile from Politico.com</a>.<br /><br />Sullivan said two Dallas-based consultants—already affiliated with Scott Howell, who’s handling Hutchison’s TV advertising—will play significant roles going forward. Heath Thompson, who was a regional political director in the Bush-Cheney campaign of 2004, will focus on strategy, while Todd Harris, who’s been a spokesman for Florida’s Jeb Bush, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sen. John McCain, will be a point person on communications. Harris was once called a “spinner extraordinaire” by “Roll Call,” the Washington newspaper.</blockquote>The continued growth and organization of Kay's camp clearly shows she's ready to fight Governor Perry for the 2010 republican gubernatorial race. Here at KVR we agree with Shelby's assessment that this latest re-organization to her staff is not a shake-up, but rather a strategic build-up of experienced campaign staff. Hold on to your cowboy hat, it looks like Kay's kicking up dust and possibily running Rick outta town.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128762997202552276.post-16678307923745921282009-07-26T22:00:00.003-05:002009-07-26T22:36:54.343-05:00Report shows Perry lives in Luxury<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/img/v3/03-19-2008.NSW_19RickPerry.GJA2C53FB.1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 177px; height: 145px;" src="http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/img/v3/03-19-2008.NSW_19RickPerry.GJA2C53FB.1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Its no secret that Texas' longest serving governor lives in the lap of luxury. Today the Houston Chronicle released two lists that show gifts and travel paid provided to Governor Perry since his reign as governor began.<br /><br />Gifts are nothing new to politicians. Its seen as kind of a perk, but the lists provided by the Chronicle are quite impressive.<br /><br />Here is a quick excerpt from R.G. Ratcliffe's article in today's Houston Chronicle:<br /><br /><blockquote>The taxpayers shell out $108,000 a year to rent him an estate west of Austin, and spend another $168,000 on chefs, stewards and housekeepers for the Perrys' creature comforts. <p class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2438630">Piano maestro Van Cliburn once played at the Governor's Mansion for first lady Anita Perry's birthday. Dallas aerobics guru Dr. Kenneth Cooper once gave the governor free medical tests. Expensive gifts to Perry have included 16 pairs of custom-made boots, a pair of spurs, hunting trips, sports tickets and a football helmet signed by former Dallas Cowboy Emmitt Smith.</p> <p class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2440076">The perks of being governor are not unusual across the nation, and in many states, governors like Perry are also de facto head of state business recruitment.</p> <p class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2440081">Wealthy donors and corporate-funded foundations, for example, have flown him to the Bahamas for scuba diving, to Paris, Rome and Dubai for business promotion and to San Diego, Calif., for the one-time Texas A&M yell leader to attend an Aggies Muster for expatriate A&M graduates. </p> <p class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2438632">There was a trip to Istanbul for the Bilderberg conference hosted by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. A trip to the Middle East had on its schedule meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Jordan's King Abdullah and a “breathtaking sunset cruise on the Red Sea.”</p></blockquote><p class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2438632"></p><p class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2438632">Governor Perry was honest about his role of attracting businesses to Texas -- making him the de facto Salesman for attracting and retaining businesses. Ratcliffe's article continues with:</p><p class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2444349">Perry, who took office in 2000, said in a recent interview with the Houston Chronicle that his only motivation as governor is to affect public policy: “This is not about me. It's not about whatever the people would perceive as the perks of being governor ... I get to go do a job every day that makes a difference in people's lives. I find that very satisfying.”</p> <p class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2437897">Perry spokeswoman Allison Castle said the governor's amenities are like those of previous governors and others across the country.</p> <p class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2437901">“Texas is the tenth largest economy in the world. We're the number one exporting state. We have an economy that is an economic powerhouse,” Castle said. “Carrying that message to other countries, other leaders, business leaders, state leaders is an important mission.”</p><p class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2437901">And what about travel you ask? Well, here's what Ratcliffe's article says about that:</p><p class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2442546"></p><blockquote><p class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2442546">[Allison] Castle noted that Perry's travel is not paid by taxpayers.</p> <p class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2442549">Texas One, a corporate-finance foundation, pays for much of Perry's business development travel. Other travel is paid for by his political committee or campaign donors. And some is financed as in-kind contributions from specific wealthy donors or interest groups.</p> <p class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2442556">Scuba diving was on the agenda in a controversial 2004 trip when beer distributor John Nau and investor Charles Tate, both of Houston, and San Antonio investor James Leininger paid $40,400 to fly Rick and Anita Perry and others on private jets to the Bahamas for a trip that included discussions of public education policy. </p> <p class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2442564">Houston's Gulf States Toyota owner Thomas Friedkin gave $9,000 in travel to Perry's campaign last year so the governor, his wife and daughter could spend two days in Key West for a fundraiser.</p> <p class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2434832">Perry and his wife leave this week for San Diego to raise money for his re-election. They visited San Diego this time last year, a trip that included a visit to the San Diego Chargers training camp.</p></blockquote><p class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2434832"></p><p class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2434832">Which reminds us here at KVR... the <a href="http://www.dallascowboys.com/fans/camp.cfm">Dallas Cowboys</a> will begin their training camp in San Antonio at the Alamodome on Tuesday. We hope Rick will at least send an envoy to the Cowboys while he visits with the Chargers in San Diego.</p><p class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2434832"><a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/%7Er/houstonchronicle/texaspolitics/%7E3/ckPUL9IFNps/rick_perry_the.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Click here for a list of Gifts provided to Governor Perry.</span></a></p><p class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2434832"><a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/%7Er/houstonchronicle/texaspolitics/%7E3/7nvLilEIQRw/perry_travel_pa.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Click here for a list of travel/trips for Governor Perry paid for by others.</span></a><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128762997202552276.post-46145912143822734752009-07-24T15:46:00.004-05:002009-07-24T15:53:34.915-05:00Perry threatens to invote 'States Rights' and reject federal Health Care<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://tucsongrowup.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/rick-perry-tucson-choices.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 140px; height: 140px;" src="http://tucsongrowup.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/rick-perry-tucson-choices.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />David Montgomery at the <a href="http://www.star-telegram.com/804/story/1504240.html">Fort Worth Star-Telegram</a> includes comments from a WBAP interview with Governor Perry about the proposed national health care plan that is currently before Congress:<br /><p></p><blockquote><p>Interviewed by conservative talk show host Mark Davis of Dallas’ WBAP/820 AM, Perry said his first hope is that Congress will defeat the plan, which both Perry and Davis described as "Obama Care." But should it pass, Perry predicted that Texas and a "number" of states might resist the federal health mandate.</p><p>"I think you’ll hear states and governors standing up and saying 'no’ to this type of encroachment on the states with their healthcare," Perry said. "So my hope is that we never have to have that stand-up. But I’m certainly willing and ready for the fight if this administration continues to try to force their very expansive government philosophy down our collective throats."</p><p>"It really is a state issue, and if there was ever an argument for the 10th Amendment and for letting the states find a solution to their problems, this may be at the top of the class," Perry said. "A government-run healthcare system is financially unstable. It’s not the solution."</p><p>Texas has a higher percentage of uninsured people than any other state, with 1 in 4 Texans lacking health coverage. Dunkelberg, whose organization supports policies to help low- and modest-income Texans, said the House version would create a "predictable and comprehensive benefits package" for thousands of struggling middle-income Texans.</p></blockquote><p></p><p>It seems that lately Governor Perry has been on a mission to challenge the federal government on constitutional grounds for states rights. We're not sure if this strategy is to build hype and a name for himself or put the states interests first.<br /></p><p>With so many Texans uninsured, how would the State of Texas propose to cover health care alone?</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128762997202552276.post-52712248370686849682009-07-13T12:52:00.010-05:002009-07-13T14:03:44.462-05:00Kay expected to make Big Announcement this afternoon in Dallas<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.wilsoncountyrepublicans.com/images/Kay%20Bailey%20Hutchison%20Heritage.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 202px; height: 151px;" src="http://www.wilsoncountyrepublicans.com/images/Kay%20Bailey%20Hutchison%20Heritage.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison is expected to make a big announcement at 2pm today in Dallas regarding the financial status of her campaign and perhaps, as we say here in Texas, formally 'throw her hat in the ring' for the 2010 republican gubernatorial race.<br /><br />Robert Wilonsky at the <a href="http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2009/07/kay_bailey_hutchisons_coming_h.php">Texas Observer</a> writes today:<br /><blockquote>"...her campaign communications director, Hans Klingler, just told Unfair Park: U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison's going to be at <a href="http://www.dallasgop.org/" target="_blank">Dallas County Republican Party</a> HQ on N. Central Expressway to "announce when she's going to announce" her run for Texas governor. That's just a brief peek at her remarks, which she'll deliver at 2 p.m. today, as Hutchison comes home to also offer campaign supporters a look at the amount of dough she's raised thus far as she vies for Rick Perry's job. Perry yesterday announced <a href="http://www.cbs7kosa.com/news/details.asp?ID=13574" target="_blank">he'd raised $4.2 million during just nine days in June</a>. </blockquote>Earlier this morning, Kay's campaign released a teaser <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k15_lYqfhe0">YouTube video</a> featuring <span class="description">Texans for Kay Statewide Finance Chairman John Nau. In the video Mr. Nau says:<br /><blockquote>I have raised money for many years here in Texas to support philanthropic and political causes. I've never seen an outpouring of support like we have witnessed for the last six months for Kay Bailey Hutchison. It is not only impressive, its exciting. I look forward to her announcing her candidacy and working hard, with many people across this state, to guarantee that she wins and becomes the governor of our great state of Texas.</blockquote>We'll post information from KBH's 2pm announcement in Dallas as soon as possible.<br /><br />Meanwhile, at least one Austin-based political reporter is crying foul over the location of Kay's announcement. </span><a href="http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/politics/entries/2009/07/13/report_hutchison_poised_to_say.html#postcomment">Gardner Selby</a> at the Austin American-Statesman set his <a href="http://twitter.com/gardnerselby">Twitter </a>and Facebook status as:<br /><blockquote>Hutchison dodging Capitol press? She's huddling with Dallas press about finances today: <a href="http://budurl.com/3u3b">http://budurl.com/3u3b</a> #txlege #hutchison #rickperry<br /></blockquote>Sources tell us that we'll be able to watch Kay's announcement live via her website at <a href="http://texans.forkay.com/pages/livestream">http://texans.forkay.com/pages/livestream</a><br /><br />We'll be live blogging the 2pm announcement here at http://www.kayvsrick.com<br /><span class="description"> </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128762997202552276.post-70552072698823061202009-07-09T09:27:00.002-05:002009-07-09T09:31:08.518-05:00UT Online Poll shows Perry leading Kay by 12 points<a href="http://twitter.com/JasonEmbry">Jason Embry</a> at the<a href="http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/firstreading/entries/2009/07/09/ut_poll_says_perry_12_points_u.html"> Austin American-Statesman </a>reports this morning that:<br /><blockquote>Gov. Rick Perry leads U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison by 12 points among voters who say they intend to vote in the Republican primary next March, according to an online poll that the University of Texas at Austin will release today. <p>The numbers:</p> <p style="font-weight: bold;">Perry: 38 percent</p> <p style="font-weight: bold;">Hutchison: 26 percent</p> <p style="font-weight: bold;">Undecided or supporting someone else: 34 percent</p> <p style="font-weight: bold;">Among registered voters, Perry is up 38-27.</p> <p>The poll — like others in recent weeks — shows a significant surge for Perry over the last several months. Consider that in the same poll released in March, Hutchison led 37 percent to 29 percent. At least for now, these numbers indicate that Perry’s aggressive anti-Washington stance in recent months has helped him considerably with GOP voters, and while Hutchison’s limited public engagement in the race has not.</p> <p>At the same time, we must stress the election is eight months away and the campaign really has not fully begun.</p></blockquote><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128762997202552276.post-90005533236167870242009-07-08T18:13:00.008-05:002009-07-08T19:28:08.657-05:00Sen. Hutchison spends Less on Travel than Cornyn<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos.upi.com/topics-NOMINEES-FOR-FEDERAL-JUDICIARY-TESTIFY-AT-CONFIRMATION-HEARING-IN-WASHINGTON/d2bd9fc78c57c640a3746df8d229b9ea/U-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 230px; height: 138px;" src="http://photos.upi.com/topics-NOMINEES-FOR-FEDERAL-JUDICIARY-TESTIFY-AT-CONFIRMATION-HEARING-IN-WASHINGTON/d2bd9fc78c57c640a3746df8d229b9ea/U-1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span class="vitstorybody"><span class="vitstorybody">Texas taxpayers helped foot the bill for the $152,000 Cornyn's spent on chartered and commercial jets during the first half of 2009. In comparison, fellow Texas US Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison spent $88,000, according to a <a href="http://www.kvue.com/news/top/stories/070809kvue_Cornyn_travel-cb.1fbee2a6.html">KVUE news report</a> by <a href="http://twitter.com/Elisewho">Elsie Hu</a>.<br /></span></span><span class="vitstorybody"><span class="vitstorybody"><p> </p><blockquote><p>"I don't know why he thinks he's so much better than you and I and get on Southwest like the rest of us do," said Tom "Smitty" Smith of Public Citizen Texas. "He claims to be a fiscal conservative. This to me is the worst of the tax and spend liberals in Congress." </p> <p> But Cornyn says his flight expenses are necessary. </p> <p> "Not every state is the same. When you represent a state as big as Texas and traveling home from Washington DC every weekend it unfortunately costs more money," he said.</p></blockquote></span></span><span class="vitstorybody"><span class="vitstorybody"> </span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128762997202552276.post-5745374045933159812009-07-08T14:54:00.002-05:002009-07-08T15:12:38.484-05:00Gov. Perry claims $9.3 Million in Campaign War ChestGardner Shelby at the <a href="http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/politics/entries/2009/07/08/perry_ive_got_9_millionplus_on.html">Austin American-Statesman</a> is reporting this afternoon that:<br /><p></p><blockquote><p>Gov. Rick Perry’s campaign revealed today that it ended June with $9.3 million cash on hand, having raised $4.2 million in the last nine days of the month, which was the only period this year that he could legally accept donations.</p> <p>For the moment—and surely just for the moment—that means Texans for Rick Perry is reporting more cash on hand than Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison’s gubernatorial committee, which entered this year with nearly $8 million cash on hand, a tally that then outpaced Perry’s end-of-2008 cash balance of $6.6 million.</p> <p>Hutchison’s campaign, which could legally raise money through the regular legislative session and post-session veto period, is widely expected to report much more cash on hand by the time all finance reports are due a week from today.</p> <p>The two are expected to face off for the GOP gubernatorial nomination in March.</p> <p>Today, Perry’s campaign didn’t release his full report and it disclosed no information on who precisely accounted for his end-of-month haul.</p> <p>But broadly, the campaign said it had raised $4.23 million—including $454,094 online—from 1,076 donors from June 22-June 30, which it said nearly doubled the amount he collected over a similar time period after the 2005 regular legislative session. (UPDATE: By my math, the campaign’s contributions this June fell $455,410 short of doubling the $2,343,248 Perry’s campaign raised in the June period of 2005—about 10 percent shy of a doubling.)</p> <p>Jim Lee of Houston, one of Perry’s state finance chairs, said: “This is a remarkable accomplishment and a ringing endorsement of Gov. Perry.” He noted that 95 percent of the contributors are from Texas, “showing that Texans continue to appreciate and value his leadership.”</p></blockquote><p></p><p>The Austin American-Statesman is awaiting a response from Kay's campaign.<br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128762997202552276.post-76431153310872362982009-07-03T17:32:00.001-05:002009-07-03T21:28:31.419-05:00Perry releases statement on Palin through Campaign<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2009/02/04/palinperrygttyimg1108miamirga.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 253px; height: 171px;" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2009/02/04/palinperrygttyimg1108miamirga.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Governor Rick Perry <a href="http://rickperry.org/release/statement-gov-perry-gov-palin%E2%80%99s-decision-step-down-governor-alaska">released a statement</a> through his campaign on the sudden resignation of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.<br /><blockquote>“Sarah Palin is a good friend and accomplished governor who will continue to be a strong voice of conservatism in American politics. Her state and our country are better off as a result of her tenure as governor and her candidacy for vice president.<br /><br />“I expect she will continue to work on the issues facing our country as conservatives strive to undo the damage being done by an out-of-control congress and federal government.”<br /></blockquote>In February Mrs. Palin endorsed Governor Perry's re-election bid calling him a "true conservative". The <a href="http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/020309dntexperrypalin.3ac5fd7.html">Dallas Morning News </a>highlighted Palin's endorsement on February 2nd:<br /><span class="vitstorybody"><span class="vitstorybody"><p></p><blockquote><p>"He walks the walk of a true conservative. And he sticks by his guns – and you know how I feel about guns," she said.</p><p>Palin cited one of the Perry campaign's top issues – opposition to federal financial bailouts. And she singled out Perry's opposition to abortion rights.</p><p>"Not every child is born into ideal circumstances, but every life is sacred," Palin said in the mail appeal. "Rick Perry knows this – it is at the core of his being."</p><p>Hutchison supports abortion rights, although with restrictions, including parental notification and a ban on certain late-term procedures. </p></blockquote><p></p></span></span>While some have speculated that Palin's sudden resignation is a move towards a possible 2012 republican presidential nomination, we believe she's leaving because of emails that will soon be released from the State of Alaska.<br /><br />MSNBC is <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31727233/ns/politics/">reporting today</a> that, thirteen requests for her e-mails, made under state records laws before the November 2008 presidential election, are still pending.<br /><blockquote>The records include e-mail sent between the governor and her staff not only on their official e-mail accounts but also on their private Yahoo accounts. Palin and many of her staff were using private accounts. But state courts since have ruled that the correspondence between government officials, about government business, are public records, whether they use their government e-mail accounts or private ones.</blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128762997202552276.post-17736405224694795032009-07-02T15:45:00.002-05:002009-07-03T10:35:05.589-05:00Kay's op-ed: 'Cautious Progress in Iraq'<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/img/07-09/0701hutchisoniraq268.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 137px;" src="http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/img/07-09/0701hutchisoniraq268.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Read Senator Hutchison's op-ed in today's <a href="http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/viewpoints/stories/DN-hutchison_06edi.State.Edition1.1dab651.html">Dallas Morning News</a> about 'Cautious Progress in Iraq'.<br /><span class="vitstorydate"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span><span class="vitstorybody"> <span style=""><b><span class="vitstorybyline"> </span></b></span> <span class="vitstorybody"> <p> </p><blockquote><p>I recently had the opportunity to celebrate the Fourth of July early and in a unique way. This year, on the eve of our nation's Independence Day, I was in Baghdad, thanking those who are protecting the freedom that we celebrate on July Fourth. There in Iraq, I was privileged to visit the Texans who embody the same patriotism as the American soldiers who won our nation's freedom 233 years ago.<br /></p><p><span class="vitstorybody"><span class="vitstorybody"><p> I spent the Senate's July Fourth recess traveling to Iraq so I could carry a very clear message to those who were not able to spend the holiday at home with their families: The American people are completely behind our troops, and we are deeply grateful for their brave service. Our nation would not know freedom without their sacrifice. </p> <p> The soldiers of the Texas National Guard warmly welcomed me and made me prouder than ever to be a Texan. I am happy to report that Texas troops are exhibiting our state's indomitable spirit of pride and optimism as they serve overseas. Their energy was infectious, and their attitudes were uplifting. </p> <p> As America undertakes its first major deadline for drawdown of forces, I also wanted to be there on the ground to see this process begin to unfold and to hear from our commanders how it is being executed. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_T._Odierno">Gen. Raymond Odierno</a>, commanding general of multinational forces in Iraq, and <a href="http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/122026.htm">Christopher R. Hill</a>, American ambassador to Iraq, outlined for me their vision of the way forward. </p> <p> On June 30, we reached a key milestone. U.S. forces completed a process that began last January of transferring responsibility for patrolling Iraqi cities to the Iraqi Army. Primarily, American soldiers will fall back to the outskirts of the cities, where they will remain ready to provide training and support. </p> <p> I hope the Iraqis will be successful and build on the progress we've already made. The indicators for security gains are mostly trending in the right direction. However, there are troubling variables that we must monitor closely, such as resurgence of sectarian violence and the continued malevolent Iranian involvement in Iraqi affairs. </p> <p> The Iraqis can be assured that, if there is trouble, the American forces will not be far. We did not invest so much – in American lives and treasure – to see progress languish. Our soldiers stand at the ready as needed. </p> <p> Odierno and Hill assured me that the full drawdown of our troops will be gradual. Iraq must remain stable so next January's elections can be fair and peaceful and the logistically complex drawdown process can continue apace. In deliberate, calculated steps, we will start to close down base operations in Iraq. Equipment will be refurbished or repaired and sent to support our missions in Afghanistan or elsewhere in the world. </p> <p> The commanders on the ground assured me that we have a solid plan, supported by the world's finest military. It is in all our best interests that America withdraws in an orderly fashion so that the end result of our efforts in Iraq is greater stability in the region, as well as an Iraq that never again serves as a base for terrorist operations. </p> <p> My visit with our troops left me hopeful and optimistic for the future of Iraq. Moreover, I returned to Texas thankful that we have such dedicated and selfless young men and women as those I met from Texas who are, even now, serving on the frontlines. </p> <p> <i>Kay Bailey Hutchison is the senior U.S. senator from Texas and may be reached through <a target="_blank" href="http://www.hutchison.senate.gov/"> www.hutchison.senate.gov</a>.</i></p></span></span></p></blockquote><p><span class="vitstorybody"><span class="vitstorybody"><p><i></i> </p></span></span></p></span></span>An op-ed in a major Texas newspaper was a great way to reach out to Texans and share details about her trip to Iraq. We give her an <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">A+</span> for the effort and content of today's op-ed.<br /><br />What are your thoughts on Kay's op-ed? Comment below.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128762997202552276.post-8543649638155457062009-07-01T07:54:00.011-05:002009-07-01T09:06:14.698-05:00Perry Goofs on History of 140 Day Legislative Sessions<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.tspb.state.tx.us/SPB/capitol/images/capitol.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 184px; height: 128px;" src="http://www.tspb.state.tx.us/SPB/capitol/images/capitol.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Last night, Peggy Fikac of the <a href="http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/breaking/6505775.html">Houston Chronicle</a> quoted Governor Perry on the subject of the Special Session that begins today:<br /><blockquote>Perry, who faces what’s expected to be a tough GOP primary against U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, cited Texas’ “founding fathers” and the biennial regular session schedule when asked why he wants the special session to be short. <p class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2445919">“Do we want to have long legislative sessions? No. The founding fathers said 140 days every other year. Get ’em in, get ’em out, get your work done. Bada bing, bada boom,” he said.</p></blockquote><p class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2445919"></p><p class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2445919">It seems that Governor Perry is lacking in his Texas History. According to the <a href="http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/TT/mkt2.html">Handbook of Texas Online</a>, it wasn't until 1960 that the Texas Legislature implemented the first constitutional limit on the duration of regular sessions (140 days).<br /></p><p class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2445919">Here at KVR we might consider referring to Stephen F. Austin and company as "Founding Fathers", but not legislators from the late 1950's and early 1960's.<br /></p><p class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2445919">It is odd that Mr. Perry, who was elected in 1984 as a Democrat to the Texas House of Representatives, later elected as the Lieutenant Governor in 1998, and has been Governor since December 21, 2000 seems to have no idea about the history of the 140 day duration for the Texas Legislature.<br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128762997202552276.post-1657875738071424992009-07-01T07:12:00.002-05:002009-07-01T17:25:34.726-05:00The Cost of the Texas Legislature<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/treasures/images/republic/3front.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 251px; height: 108px;" src="http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/treasures/images/republic/3front.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />How much does the Legislature Cost you ask?<br /><br />R. G. Ratcliffe highlighted the cost of legislative sessions in Texas in a <a href="http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6478698.html">Houston Chronicle</a> article on June 14, 2009. Here's what Ratcliffe found:<br /><p class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2445919"><span style="font-weight: bold;">How Much Then & Now</span><br /></p><ul><li>The cost of a legislative session in 1963: $2.9 million</li><li>The cost of the 140-day session that ended June 1: $9.1 million</li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">How Much the Legislature Costs Annually</span><br /><ul><li>Annual cost per year to operate the Texas legislature including nearly 1,1800 people on staff: $171.5 million<br /></li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">Biggest Costs for the 2009 Regular Legislative Session</span><br /><ul><li>$4.9 million spent to hire 402 House and Senate sergeants at arms, clerks, researchers, proofreaders and staff photographers</li><li>An additional $4.2 million paid to the 181 legislators as living expenses on top of the $1.3 million spent on their annual salaries</li></ul>This morning, Mike Ward at the<a href="http://www.statesman.com/news/content/region/legislature/stories/2009/07/01/0701dewhurst.html"> Austin American Statesman</a> included the agenda for the Special Session that begins today:<br /><span class="cxnshared"><blockquote>Continuing the operations of the state's transportation, insurance and racing commissions plus two smaller agencies; authorizing $2 billion in road-building bonds that voters have approved; and continuing the authority of the Texas Department of Transportation to negotiate private-public deals to build toll roads.</blockquote></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128762997202552276.post-18475611376048098062009-06-25T05:37:00.003-05:002009-06-25T05:50:17.766-05:00Rick leads Kay in latest Poll, but 45% are UndecidedYesterday's big news was the release of the <span class="vitstorybody"><span class="vitstorybody">Texas Lyceum Poll</span></span> on the upcoming Texas gubernatorial race. The <a href="http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D9913HSO0.html">Dallas Morning News</a> included an AP report that highlighted the results of the poll:<br /><span class="vitstorybody"><span class="vitstorybody"> <p></p><blockquote><p>A new poll shows Gov. Rick Perry is leading his major primary challenger, U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, in his 2010 re-election campaign. </p><p>The Texas Lyceum Poll released Wednesday also found many Texans aren't paying much attention to next year's elections yet. </p><p>The poll found <span style="font-weight: bold;">Perry backed by 33 percent</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">of those polled, while Hutchison had 21 percent.</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Some 45 percent of Texans were undecided.</span> </p><p>On the Democratic side, 80 percent of those polled were undecided, but humorist Kinky Friedman had 10 perecent, followed by former ambassador Tom Schieffer with 6 percent. Schieffer formally launches his campaign on Wednesday. </p><p>The poll had a margin of error of 3 percentage points. </p></blockquote><p></p><p>Its obvious that with nearly 45% of Texans undecided on this race, the results of this poll shouldn't cause a party at Rick's re-election headquarters. There's still a lot of campaigning to do between now and election day. </p><p>We already know that Governor Perry's plan is to attack Senator Hutchison as a "Washington outsider" who is out of touch with us Texans. We're still waiting for the KBH campaign to crankup in full gear. As both campaigns start to hit full throttle, you'll see more postings here at KVR.<br /></p></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128762997202552276.post-26799446281106440442009-06-25T01:05:00.003-05:002009-06-25T06:24:25.344-05:00AP: Texas race for gov. a Republican slugfest<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://images.footballfanatics.com/productImages/_207000/FF_207773_s.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 160px; height: 160px;" src="http://images.footballfanatics.com/productImages/_207000/FF_207773_s.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Kelley Shannon at the Associated Press captured in one word what the upcoming Republican gubernatorial race is turning out to be so far, a "slugfest".<br /><br />Shannon's <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i_t0nu6Fj5UI5Fyss3kVl5Nmh6jAD9918BDO0">article </a>delves into state of fundraising for both campaigns.<br /><blockquote>Even if Perry trails in money this summer — a real possibility because he couldn't accept donations all spring but Hutchison could — he'll likely catch up quickly because of established donors who are willing to give him as much as $100,000 per four-year term, said Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University.<p>"This is a race that will see larger amounts of money spent in the primary, maybe, than in the general election. It's going to be a slugfest between Perry and Hutchison," Jillson said.</p></blockquote><p></p>Shannon's article continues, with spokespersons from both campaigns.<br /><blockquote>Hutchison held an early money lead at the start of this year, with nearly $8 million to Perry's $6.6 million in the bank. Most of Hutchison's total was transferred from her federal campaign account.<p>Since then, she's been working on more state fundraising. She named John Nau, a Houston businessman and former Perry backer, as her finance chairman. She sent out a fundraising letter that sounded the national Republican theme but referred to Perry in saying, "We simply can't afford this type of leadership negatively defining our party for four more years."</p><p>Hutchison is stepping up complaints that the two-term governor is showing "hypocrisy" on issues ranging from property rights to the state's business tax.</p><p>"Real leaders don't grandstand on a temporary fix to the problem of their own making. This is a new height of hypocrisy even for Rick Perry," Hutchison spokesman Hans Klingler said this month when Perry signed a law revising the business tax that he backed when it was crafted.</p><p>Perry spokesman Mark Miner said the Hutchison accusations ring hollow.</p>"It's easy to criticize when you've been on the sidelines," Miner said. Perry's camp will continue to point out Hutchison's long history in Washington and link her to federal bailouts and deficit spending, Miner said.<p>"We'll continue to highlight the differences between someone who's been in Washington and someone like the governor who's been in Texas working to improve the lives of all Texans," Miner said.</p></blockquote><p></p><p>So the Parry camp continues down the destructive path of claiming Senator Hutchison is a 'Washington outsider' and some kind of federal government cowgirl. So far, it may be playing out okay on talk radio, but as Kay's campaign kicks into full throttle, we won't be surprised to see her talking about how out of touch Perry with reality.<br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128762997202552276.post-87828711224857128472009-06-24T08:56:00.005-05:002009-06-25T06:23:07.665-05:00Kay says Perry is hurting the Republican partySenator Hutchison was on Hardball last night. If you missed her on MSNBC last night, no worries, Todd Gillman at the Dallas Morning News provided a summary in this morning's <a href="http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/06/hutchison-says-gov-perry-has-r.html">Trail Blazers Blog</a>:<br /><blockquote>Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison was on Hardball last night on MSNBC, talking mainly about Iran and President Obama's latest posture there. But Chris Matthews asked her about the Texas governor's race, too - specifically, whether she thinks she can beat Gov. Rick Perry, given her "centrist conservative views" and the fact that he's a "character... who's talked about secession from the union, who now enjoys... the endorsement of Sarah Palin, who, for whatever crazy reason, has gotten herself involved in Texas politics? <p>Short answer from Hutchison: "Yes."</p> <p>She invoked Ronald Reagan - the big tent part, not the 11th Commandment part.</p> "I'm a conservative. I want the party to be growing and building and bringing people into our ideas by welcoming them into the party, by holding to our principles, while we say, here are what we believe, and we know you can't agree on 100 percent of everything, but we can form a party around basic principles of freedom, of lower taxes, of entrepreneurship and -- and the American spirit. We can build a party around that. And we can argue about differences that we might have, but we should not repel people from the party. And that's what I think has happened with Governor Perry, in some instances."</blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128762997202552276.post-34468845019964143652009-05-07T15:08:00.004-05:002009-05-07T15:15:51.708-05:00Polls indicate both Perry and Sen. Hutchison are tiedA <a href="http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_2010/election_2010_governor_elections/texas/election_2010_texas_republican_primary">Rasmussen poll</a> released today indicates that Governor Perry and Senator Hutchison are "essentially tied in an early look at their 2010 Primary battle."<br /><p style=""> </p><blockquote><p style="">The latest Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey shows Perry attracting 42% of the vote while Hutchison earns 38%. Seven percent (7%) say they’d like to vote for somebody else and 13% are undecided. </p> <p style=""> Perry leads by 15 percentage points among conservative voters but Hutchison leads by 35 points among the moderates.<br /></p></blockquote><p style="">Garner Shelby at the Austin American-Statesman <a href="http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/politics/entries/2009/05/06/perry_campaign_poll_shows_race.html#jump">reported yesterday</a> that "A poll taken Sunday and Monday on behalf of Gov. Rick Perry’s re-election campaign suggests that among Republicans likely to vote in the 2010 GOP gubernatorial primary, Perry is in striking distance of Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison."</p><p></p><blockquote><p>The summary doesn’t precisely say how pollster Mike Baselice chose who to poll.</p> <p>Hutchison’s camp later questioned the methodology.</p> <p>Her campaign manager, Rick Wiley, and a senior strategist, long-time GOP pollster Lance Tarrance Jr., took issue with Perry’s campaign testing the candidates in two ways—both with their officeholder titles (Gov. Perry, Sen. Hutchison) and simply by their names. Tarrance said the sample size in each case means the margin of error for each sample of 250 GOP voters is plus or minus 10 percent.</p> <p>“Maybe they’re baiting everybody” with the poll, Tarrance said.</p> <p>Baselice said later the plus or minus margin of error for a sample of 250 voters would actually be 6.1 percent.</p> <p>In the summary, Baselice advises: “The overall ballot score shows the race much closer than some of recent polls floating around the Internet.” The percentages as relayed to Perry supporters by Perry consultant Dave Carney: Hutchison 44 percent, Perry 39 percent.</p> <p>Yet those percentage combine the two samples. When the two were paired against each other by names alone, Hutchison led by 11 percentage points, that is: Hutchison, 47 percent, Perry 36 percent.</p> <p>Put another way, nearly one in two Republican voters favors Hutchison for governor at this time.</p> <p>Baselice, reached later, defended his approach.</p></blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128762997202552276.post-48145247022954984782009-05-05T22:36:00.004-05:002009-05-05T22:40:59.362-05:00Chris Bell's lawsuit over 2006 contribution for Perry still onJason Embry at the <a href="http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/politics/entries/2009/05/05/judge_denies_perry_effort_to_t.html">Austin American-Statesman</a> reports "District Judge John Dietz late today denied efforts by Texans for Rick Perry and the Republican Governors Association to throw out a lawsuit brought against them by Democrat Chris Bell, who ran against Perry in 2006, said Bell lawyer Buck Wood."<br /><blockquote>Bell has alleged that reporting errors made by the Perry campaign on campaign-finance reports kept the public from fully seeing the source of money that the governor received for his re-election in the final week of the 2006 race. He has argued that the governors’ group did not follow proper state procedures in making the donation. <p>Wood said the Dietz ruling did not address Bell’s own effort to have a summary judgment in the case. If that effort is also denied, the case will move closer to a trial.</p> <p>At issue is $1 million that came to the Perry campaign from the governor’s group in the final month of the campaign.</p></blockquote><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128762997202552276.post-86622289127172086592009-05-04T21:47:00.004-05:002009-05-04T22:04:57.431-05:00Job Security: Perry's Appointees reportedly contribute Millions<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NtC_rpd0ZKw/Sf-sJhy2odI/AAAAAAAABDg/Viu4dwCLKb4/s1600-h/REP+TEXAS+5+1839.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 86px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NtC_rpd0ZKw/Sf-sJhy2odI/AAAAAAAABDg/Viu4dwCLKb4/s200/REP+TEXAS+5+1839.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332169763520422354" border="0" /></a><br />Wanna show the boss that you like him and hope to keep your job? Better pay up. Matt Stiles at the <a href="http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6406108.html">Houston Chronicle</a> reports today that, "The appointees have given about $4.9 million since Perry became governor in late 2000, with the average donation topping $7,000."<blockquote>Gov. Rick Perry <span style="font-weight: bold;">has accepted nearly $5 million </span>in political campaign donations from people he appointed to state boards and commissions, including some in plum jobs that set policy for state universities, parks and roads, records show. <p class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2428395">Nearly half the appointee donations came from people serving as higher education regents, including more than $840,000 from those at the University of Texas System, according to a Houston Chronicle review of campaign-finance records.</p></blockquote><p class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2428395"></p><p class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2428395">Stiles' article includes the following link to see a list of top contributors with State Jobs:</p><p class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2428395"><a href="http://images.chron.com/content/news/pdfs/09/05/04/donations.pdf">http://images.chron.com/content/news/pdfs/09/05/04/donations.pdf</a><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128762997202552276.post-75729431619401618862009-05-04T12:30:00.001-05:002009-05-04T23:13:40.384-05:00Perry to speak at Family Research Council summit in September<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NtC_rpd0ZKw/Sf-85CcbqaI/AAAAAAAABDo/CbZ1S2dbSzs/s1600-h/btn_home.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 106px; height: 138px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NtC_rpd0ZKw/Sf-85CcbqaI/AAAAAAAABDo/CbZ1S2dbSzs/s200/btn_home.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332188171924646306" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Governor Perry made a lot of news with his support of a pro-life license plate in Texas last week. For many that are following the 2010 road to the Governors Mansion, his support of the license plates shows a strategy that includes courting 'right wing conservatives'.<br /><br />Earlier this morning, Wayne Slater of the <a href="http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/05/perry-fishes-for-values-voters.html">Dallas Morning News</a>, reported in his <a href="http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/05/perry-fishes-for-values-voters.html">blog</a> that Governor Perry is scheduled to speak at the Values Voter summit.<br /><div class="hot-entry"> <p></p><blockquote><p>Gov. Rick Perry, whose efforts to woo the religious right to beat Kay Bailey Hutchison in next year's GOP primary, will be a featured speaker at the big <a target="_blank" href="http://valuesvotersummit.org/">Values Voter summit </a>in Washington DC in September. The event -- an annual gathering of the who's who among social conservative political types -- is sponsored by <a href="http://www.frc.org/">Family Research Council</a>. The group lists the Texas governor on its web site as a confirmed speaker, along with others invited and confirmed -- Sarah Palin, former Ohio secretary of state Ken Blackwell, radio talkers Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity, Congresswoman Michele Bachman, Phyllis Schafly and gay marriage opponent Miss. California Carrie Prejean.</p> <p>Perry is stepping up his appeal to social conservatives with repeated tweets on his Twitter account boosting Tuesday's prayer breakfast in Austin, part of the National Day of Prayer observance.<br /></p></blockquote><p>Governor Perry's efforts to distance himself between Senator Hutchison as a 'Washington Outsider' seems to be faltering. KVR reported earlier that Perry has more money from Washington contributors and guess where the Values Voter summit is going to be held? The Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC. </p> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128762997202552276.post-52199489981029704142009-05-02T13:36:00.002-05:002009-05-04T23:49:43.021-05:00Texas House debates flag for Governor<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_NtC_rpd0ZKw/Sf_DUv6oSyI/AAAAAAAABDw/FbMIcgQbeS4/s1600-h/The+Texas+Pilot+Flag.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 120px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_NtC_rpd0ZKw/Sf_DUv6oSyI/AAAAAAAABDw/FbMIcgQbeS4/s200/The+Texas+Pilot+Flag.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332195245057133346" border="0" /></a><br />Things must be really busy at the Capitol these days what with the latest debate centered on what type of flag should be designated for the governor.<br /><br /><span class="authorname">Robert T. Garrett of the <a href="http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/05/governors-flag.html">Dallas Morning News</a> writes in today's <a href="http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/05/governors-flag.html">Trail Blazers blog</a> about the flag.<br /></span><blockquote>The House just had its daily leg stretch and heehaw. This one over designating an official flag for the governor. <p>House Democratic Leader <a href="http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist57/dunnam.php">Jim Dunnam</a> of Waco, offered a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=81R&Bill=HB2500">bill</a> proposing a red, white and blue flag dating to 1839 and the Republic of Texas (right). Dunnam said, "I think he should have a flag." Gov. Rick Perry has failed to issue an order specifying one.</p><p>Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford, said Dunnam's proposed flag looks too much like the current<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Russia"> flag of Russia</a>. Though Dunnam pleaded that Russia imitated the Republic of Texas, King swayed House members to substitute a blue flag with stars and a seal for Dunnam's 1839 pilot flag of the Republic of Texas. </p><p>"Members, vote for America, not Russia," King said.</p></blockquote><p></p><p>The <a href="http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/FF/msf1.html">Handbook of Texas</a><a href="http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/FF/msf1.html"> Online</a> states that the pilot flag was probably used from January 25, 1839, to December 29, 1845. </p><p>We thought the Governor already has a flag... our <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Texas">current Lone Star state flag</a>. Sure its our sixth one, but we're proud of it and we hope the Governor is too.</p><span class="authorname"> </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128762997202552276.post-86243073800688440282009-04-27T20:08:00.002-05:002009-05-04T22:58:12.729-05:00Perry's raises more from Washington donors than Kay?!?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://governor.state.tx.us/images/about/portrait-web.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 165px; height: 128px;" src="http://governor.state.tx.us/images/about/portrait-web.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span class="vitstorybody"><span class="vitstorybody">The <a href="http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D97QUAL80.html">Associated Press i</a>s reporting today that, "Perry has collected $2.7 million from Washington since becoming governor — four times more than Hutchison's $670,000 from Washington during the same period, a Morning News analysis found".<br /></span></span><span class="vitstorybody"><span class="vitstorybody"><p></p><blockquote><p>Perry has been able to raise far more than Hutchison overall because federal campaigns have limits on individual donations, while Texas state campaigns do not. A slightly higher percentage of Hutchison's campaign money has come from Washington. </p><p>The money has come from political communities, lobbyists, individuals and interest groups.<br /></p></blockquote><p>We reported last month that Perry's political strategy is to paint Senator Hutchison as a 'Washington outsider'. The AP article continues with comments from Kay's campaign manager and the Texans for Public Justice:</p><p><span class="vitstorybody"><span class="vitstorybody"><p></p><blockquote><p>The governor's financial support from the Beltway undercuts efforts to distance himself from the nation's capital by painting himself as the candidate of Texas-style government and Hutchison as the candidate of Washington, which recently landed Perry in the national spotlight amid talk of Texas secession. </p><p>"Governor Perry has built a fundraising mechanism well beyond the boundaries of Texas," said Craig McDonald of <a href="http://www.tpj.org/">Texans for Public Justice</a>, a nonprofit group that tracks campaign money. "He has been very successful with special interest groups inside the Beltway." </p><p>Hutchison campaign manager Rick Wiley said it's more evidence that Perry likes to bash Washington but has no problem taking its money — except for $555 million in federal unemployment stimulus money, which the governor says has strings attached and he has rejected. </p><p>"One has to wonder what kind of strings he's attached to the fundraising haul he had from Washington, D.C.," Wiley said.<span class="vitstorybody"><span class="vitstorybody"><br /></span></span></p></blockquote><p></p></span></span></p></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0