kayvsrick.com | A blog following Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and Governor Rick Perry

Kay Must Decide, says new Texas GOP Chair and Perry supporter Cathie Adams

2009-10-25T00:32:00.007-05:00

W. Gardner Selby at the Austin American-Statesman reported today 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."

"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."

Selby also reports that, "Adams told reporters it would be impossible for her to withdraw her earlier endorsement of Perry for another term."

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?!

Gov. Perry won't rule out a 2nd attempt at Texas-Trans Corridor

2009-10-22T22:57:00.006-05:00

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.

Question: "Would Proposition 11 prevent future Trans-Texas corridors from seizing private land."

Perry: "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..."

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.

The link to the YouTube video is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgaAQ9buwJM

Perry: Washington Republicans got us in this mess

2009-09-24T19:42:00.004-05:00

Jason Embry at the Austin American-Statesman reports that Rick Perry and his Chief of Staff, Ray Sullivan, attended a donkey roast of a meeting with Washingtonian republicans:

Gov. Rick Perry’s broad criticisms of Washington Republicans aren’t sitting well with Washington Republicans.

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.

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.”

But instead of just talking about Democratic congressional leaders or President Barack Obama, the letter calls out Republicans.

“Let’s be frank,” the letter says. “Washington Republicans got us in this mess.”

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.”

Hutchison’s campaign sent the fundraising letter to Republican chiefs of staff on Capitol Hill.

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:

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.

Another said of Sullivan’s reaction, “I think there was shock and awe with the arrogance of it all.”

Perry campaign goes Negative, launches anti-Kay website

2009-08-22T13:25:00.013-05:00

Well, it didn't take long for Governor Rick Perry's campaign to go negative.

Texans for Rick Perry 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.

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.

The website is http://www.washingtonkay.com 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".

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.

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.

Sen. Hutchison will vote 'no' on Judge Sonya Sotomayer

2009-07-28T20:53:00.005-05:00

Senator Hutchison has announced that she will join Senator's Hatch and Cornyn by not supporting Judge Sonya Sotomayer in her bid for SCOTUS.

The Associated Press reports:

Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison says she will vote against confirming Sonia Sotomayor to be a Supreme Court justice.
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.
Sotomayor is expected to be confirmed as the first Hispanic justice of the high court.
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.
Hutchison is seeking the 2010 GOP nomination for governor in Texas.

Kay expands Campaign Staff, surpasses Perry's re-election team in growth

2009-07-27T17:56:00.009-05:00

Gardner Shelby at the Austin American-Statesman just published an article about significant changes to Senator Hutchison's gubernatorial campaign staff.

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.

“As with any campaign, you build as you go,” Sullivan said. “You don’t hit the ground with a full staff.

“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.”

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.

“It’s going to be fun to kick Rick Perry’s record around for the next seven months,” Sullivan said.

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.

Shelby also reports that Kay's campaign staff is larger than Governor Perry's re-election team and growing:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 blog today, and Romney’s presidential campaign. (A reader forwarded this Pounder profile from Politico.com.

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.

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.

Report shows Perry lives in Luxury

2009-07-26T22:00:00.003-05:00

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.

Gifts are nothing new to politicians. Its seen as kind of a perk, but the lists provided by the Chronicle are quite impressive.

Here is a quick excerpt from R.G. Ratcliffe's article in today's Houston Chronicle:

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.
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.

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.

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.

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.”

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:

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.”

Perry spokeswoman Allison Castle said the governor's amenities are like those of previous governors and others across the country.

“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.”

And what about travel you ask? Well, here's what Ratcliffe's article says about that:

[Allison] Castle noted that Perry's travel is not paid by taxpayers.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Which reminds us here at KVR... the Dallas Cowboys 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.

Click here for a list of Gifts provided to Governor Perry.

Click here for a list of travel/trips for Governor Perry paid for by others.

Perry threatens to invote 'States Rights' and reject federal Health Care

2009-07-24T15:46:00.004-05:00

David Montgomery at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram includes comments from a WBAP interview with Governor Perry about the proposed national health care plan that is currently before Congress:

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.
"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."
"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."
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.

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.

With so many Texans uninsured, how would the State of Texas propose to cover health care alone?

Kay expected to make Big Announcement this afternoon in Dallas

2009-07-13T12:52:00.010-05:00

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.

Robert Wilonsky at the Texas Observer writes today:

"...her campaign communications director, Hans Klingler, just told Unfair Park: U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison's going to be at Dallas County Republican Party 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 he'd raised $4.2 million during just nine days in June.

Earlier this morning, Kay's campaign released a teaser YouTube video featuring Texans for Kay Statewide Finance Chairman John Nau. In the video Mr. Nau says:

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.

We'll post information from KBH's 2pm announcement in Dallas as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, at least one Austin-based political reporter is crying foul over the location of Kay's announcement. Gardner Selby at the Austin American-Statesman set his Twitter and Facebook status as:

Hutchison dodging Capitol press? She's huddling with Dallas press about finances today: http://budurl.com/3u3b #txlege #hutchison #rickperry

Sources tell us that we'll be able to watch Kay's announcement live via her website at http://texans.forkay.com/pages/livestream

We'll be live blogging the 2pm announcement here at http://www.kayvsrick.com

UT Online Poll shows Perry leading Kay by 12 points

2009-07-09T09:27:00.002-05:00

Jason Embry at the Austin American-Statesman reports this morning that:

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.
The numbers:

Perry: 38 percent

Hutchison: 26 percent

Undecided or supporting someone else: 34 percent

Among registered voters, Perry is up 38-27.

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.

At the same time, we must stress the election is eight months away and the campaign really has not fully begun.

Sen. Hutchison spends Less on Travel than Cornyn

2009-07-08T18:13:00.008-05:00

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 KVUE news report by Elsie Hu.

"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."

But Cornyn says his flight expenses are necessary.

"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.

Gov. Perry claims $9.3 Million in Campaign War Chest

2009-07-08T14:54:00.002-05:00

Gardner Shelby at the Austin American-Statesman is reporting this afternoon that:

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.

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.

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.

The two are expected to face off for the GOP gubernatorial nomination in March.

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.

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.)

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.”

The Austin American-Statesman is awaiting a response from Kay's campaign.

Perry releases statement on Palin through Campaign

2009-07-03T17:32:00.001-05:00

Governor Rick Perry released a statement through his campaign on the sudden resignation of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.

“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.

“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.”

In February Mrs. Palin endorsed Governor Perry's re-election bid calling him a "true conservative". The Dallas Morning News highlighted Palin's endorsement on February 2nd:

"He walks the walk of a true conservative. And he sticks by his guns – and you know how I feel about guns," she said.
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.
"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."
Hutchison supports abortion rights, although with restrictions, including parental notification and a ban on certain late-term procedures.

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.

MSNBC is reporting today that, thirteen requests for her e-mails, made under state records laws before the November 2008 presidential election, are still pending.

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.

Kay's op-ed: 'Cautious Progress in Iraq'

2009-07-02T15:45:00.002-05:00

Read Senator Hutchison's op-ed in today's Dallas Morning News about 'Cautious Progress in Iraq'.

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.
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.

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.

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. Gen. Raymond Odierno, commanding general of multinational forces in Iraq, and Christopher R. Hill, American ambassador to Iraq, outlined for me their vision of the way forward.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Kay Bailey Hutchison is the senior U.S. senator from Texas and may be reached through www.hutchison.senate.gov.

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 A+ for the effort and content of today's op-ed.

What are your thoughts on Kay's op-ed? Comment below.

Perry Goofs on History of 140 Day Legislative Sessions

2009-07-01T07:54:00.011-05:00

Last night, Peggy Fikac of the Houston Chronicle quoted Governor Perry on the subject of the Special Session that begins today:

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.
“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.

It seems that Governor Perry is lacking in his Texas History. According to the Handbook of Texas Online, it wasn't until 1960 that the Texas Legislature implemented the first constitutional limit on the duration of regular sessions (140 days).

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.

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.

The Cost of the Texas Legislature

2009-07-01T07:12:00.002-05:00

How much does the Legislature Cost you ask?

R. G. Ratcliffe highlighted the cost of legislative sessions in Texas in a Houston Chronicle article on June 14, 2009. Here's what Ratcliffe found:

How Much Then & Now

The cost of a legislative session in 1963: $2.9 million
The cost of the 140-day session that ended June 1: $9.1 million

How Much the Legislature Costs Annually

Annual cost per year to operate the Texas legislature including nearly 1,1800 people on staff: $171.5 million

Biggest Costs for the 2009 Regular Legislative Session

$4.9 million spent to hire 402 House and Senate sergeants at arms, clerks, researchers, proofreaders and staff photographers
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

This morning, Mike Ward at the Austin American Statesman included the agenda for the Special Session that begins today:

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.

Rick leads Kay in latest Poll, but 45% are Undecided

2009-06-25T05:37:00.003-05:00

Yesterday's big news was the release of the Texas Lyceum Poll on the upcoming Texas gubernatorial race. The Dallas Morning News included an AP report that highlighted the results of the poll:

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.
The Texas Lyceum Poll released Wednesday also found many Texans aren't paying much attention to next year's elections yet.
The poll found Perry backed by 33 percent of those polled, while Hutchison had 21 percent. Some 45 percent of Texans were undecided.
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.
The poll had a margin of error of 3 percentage points.

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.

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.

AP: Texas race for gov. a Republican slugfest

2009-06-25T01:05:00.003-05:00

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".

Shannon's article delves into state of fundraising for both campaigns.

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.
"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.

Shannon's article continues, with spokespersons from both campaigns.

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.
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."
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.
"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.
Perry spokesman Mark Miner said the Hutchison accusations ring hollow.
"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.
"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.

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.

Kay says Perry is hurting the Republican party

2009-06-24T08:56:00.005-05:00

Senator 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 Trail Blazers Blog:

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?
Short answer from Hutchison: "Yes."

She invoked Ronald Reagan - the big tent part, not the 11th Commandment part.
"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."

Polls indicate both Perry and Sen. Hutchison are tied

2009-05-07T15:08:00.004-05:00

A Rasmussen poll released today indicates that Governor Perry and Senator Hutchison are "essentially tied in an early look at their 2010 Primary battle."

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.

Perry leads by 15 percentage points among conservative voters but Hutchison leads by 35 points among the moderates.

Garner Shelby at the Austin American-Statesman reported yesterday 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."

The summary doesn’t precisely say how pollster Mike Baselice chose who to poll.

Hutchison’s camp later questioned the methodology.

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.

“Maybe they’re baiting everybody” with the poll, Tarrance said.

Baselice said later the plus or minus margin of error for a sample of 250 voters would actually be 6.1 percent.

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.

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.

Put another way, nearly one in two Republican voters favors Hutchison for governor at this time.

Baselice, reached later, defended his approach.

Chris Bell's lawsuit over 2006 contribution for Perry still on

2009-05-05T22:36:00.004-05:00

Jason Embry at the Austin American-Statesman 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."

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.
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.

At issue is $1 million that came to the Perry campaign from the governor’s group in the final month of the campaign.

Job Security: Perry's Appointees reportedly contribute Millions

2009-05-04T21:47:00.004-05:00

Wanna show the boss that you like him and hope to keep your job? Better pay up. Matt Stiles at the Houston Chronicle 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."

Gov. Rick Perry has accepted nearly $5 million 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.
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.

Stiles' article includes the following link to see a list of top contributors with State Jobs:

http://images.chron.com/content/news/pdfs/09/05/04/donations.pdf

Perry to speak at Family Research Council summit in September

2009-05-04T12:30:00.001-05:00

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'.

Earlier this morning, Wayne Slater of the Dallas Morning News, reported in his blog that Governor Perry is scheduled to speak at the Values Voter summit.

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 Values Voter summit in Washington DC in September. The event -- an annual gathering of the who's who among social conservative political types -- is sponsored by Family Research Council. 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.

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.

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.

Texas House debates flag for Governor

2009-05-02T13:36:00.002-05:00

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.

Robert T. Garrett of the Dallas Morning News writes in today's Trail Blazers blog about the flag.

The House just had its daily leg stretch and heehaw. This one over designating an official flag for the governor.
House Democratic Leader Jim Dunnam of Waco, offered a bill 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.
Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford, said Dunnam's proposed flag looks too much like the current flag of Russia. 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.
"Members, vote for America, not Russia," King said.

The Handbook of Texas Online states that the pilot flag was probably used from January 25, 1839, to December 29, 1845.

We thought the Governor already has a flag... our current Lone Star state flag. Sure its our sixth one, but we're proud of it and we hope the Governor is too.

Perry's raises more from Washington donors than Kay?!?

2009-04-27T20:08:00.002-05:00

The Associated Press is 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".

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.
The money has come from political communities, lobbyists, individuals and interest groups.

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:

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.
"Governor Perry has built a fundraising mechanism well beyond the boundaries of Texas," said Craig McDonald of Texans for Public Justice, a nonprofit group that tracks campaign money. "He has been very successful with special interest groups inside the Beltway."
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.
"One has to wonder what kind of strings he's attached to the fundraising haul he had from Washington, D.C.," Wiley said.

AP reports that Perry is comfy on the right

2009-04-24T22:13:00.000-05:00

KVR picked up on a Associated Press report by Kelley Shannon in the Dallas Morning News. Kelley's report indicates that Perry's strategic goal of staying to the right is working so far; and he's comfortable there.

The two-term governor is lately offering fiery remarks that appeal to highly conservative voters as he gears up for a rough, expensive re-election race against U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison for the GOP nomination.
"There certainly is a strategy there, and one that he's run before," said Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University. Perry, who has never lost an election, is working to nail down the support of social and economic conservatives who tend to dominate Texas' GOP primary voting before he even thinks about moving toward the middle to appeal to a larger group of Texans, Jillson said.
Recent history shows pleasing those conservative voters is the key to winning GOP primaries in Texas. No more than about 650,000 of Texas' 13 million registered voters typically vote in a Republican gubernatorial primary, but there usually aren't two heavyweight contenders on the ballot.
Whoever survives that contest for governor in March 2010 is the favorite to win the November general election in the still-reliably Republican state.
The challenge for Hutchison, who's more moderate than Perry on social issues like abortion and embryonic stem cell research, is to attract middle-of-the-road voters and suburban women to the GOP primary, Jillson said. By doing that, he said, she could form a foundation for Texas Republicans' future as the state's demographics change and voters become less conservative.
"I think that argument is there to be made because Perry does amaze and offend regularly," Jillson said.

Secede! Or, drink some more tea.

2009-04-18T23:36:00.001-05:00

A lot of media attention has been focused on Governor Perry's comments that bordered on calling for secession. Hilary Hylton of Time Magazine reported, "It was the shout-out heard around the world: Texas' Republican governor Rick Perry's praise for his state's tea-party protesters, accompanied by not-so-veiled references to a potential Lone Star State secession."

Dressed in jeans, boots and a baseball cap with a camouflage peak and a hunting outfitter's logo, the Texas governor was one of the few major politicians to appear at the tea parties across the country. While crowds yelled "Secede! Secede!," Perry — 60 but telegenic and youthful — thought out loud that secession might be the outcome if Washington does not mend its "oppressive" high-spending, dictatorial ways. (Most experts say the notion that Texas can legally secede is mistaken, but the state does have the right to split into five states, offering the prospect of 10 U.S. Senators, math that would send cold shivers down any Democratic back.)
After the rallies, Perry downplayed his secession comments, amending them in an interview with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram to say, "I'm trying to make the Obama Administration pay attention to the 10th Amendment." The so-called 10th Amendment movement, asserting the rights of the states to claim all powers not granted specifically to the Federal Government, has been grist for conservatives for more than a decade. The movement got a boost following the Democratic return to dominance in Congress and more traction when federal dictates about how to spend stimulus money raised hackles in places like Texas and South Carolina. Some two dozen state legislatures are considering or have passed resolutions supporting the 10th Amendment.

Governor Perry seems to be pandering to the radical right wing supporters who seemingly hate President Obama. Hilary's article in Time Magazine is humorous and shows just how much Perry's national media strategy seems to be working.

Hilary's article in Time continues with comments from Royal Masset:

Nevertheless, one longtime Republican analyst and numbers cruncher, Royal Masset, believes Hutchison will defeat Perry and be the next governor of Texas. Polls suggest she has an early lead, and Masset points to her overwhelming victories in the past as evidence of her wide support not only among Republicans but also among independents, who can vote in Texas primaries. He has urged Perry to forgo another gubernatorial bid. Masset believes that Perry should be content with one major accomplishment: helping to create more jobs in Texas than the rest of the U.S. during his tenure. "Your place in history is secure," Masset wrote in a recent analysis piece for the Quorum Report, an insider political newsletter that circulates out of Austin, the state capital. "You would be freed up to do great things on the national scene where real power is now held by media stars such as you."

It is not likely to be advice Perry will heed. He is already the longest serving governor in Texas history — as lieutenant governor, he took over for President-elect George W. Bush in December 2000. That has given him unparalleled influence over state government, where much of the governor's power resides in appointments to boards and commissions. Masset believes that more of that kind of centralization of power "will lead to Washington-style corruption. We need new people with new ideas. We need new appointees and new blood."

Perry says the Federal Government is Oppressive

2009-04-10T20:46:00.006-05:00

The governor of Texas gathered in the State Capitol building with reporters, citizen activists and lawmakers to declare the Federal government's oppression on our State. No, this isn't a history lesson about Texas' seventh governor Sam Houston in 1861. It was actually Governor Rick Perry speaking yesterday at the Capitol in support of House Concurrent Resolution 50.

To understand the governors endorsement of the resolution and the excitement of confederate-like supporters, one must put the content of the resolution into perspective. Here's a brief excerpt:

RESOLVED, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas hereby claim sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United State over all powers not otherwise enumerated and granted to the federal government by the Constitution of the United State; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That this serve as notice and demand to the federal government, as our agent, to cease and desist, effect immediately, mandates that are beyond the scope of these constitutionally delegated powers...

It seems that this was an attempt by Governor Perry to denounce portions of the Federal stimulus bill and lay the framework for his campaign strategy of Washington versus Austin.

Jason Embry at the Austin American Statesman highlighted Perry's comments in his blog this morning:

Gov. Rick Perry appeared with about 30 Republican legislators — and Democrat Ryan Guillen on Thursday to push for House Concurrent Resolution 50, which according to its caption, affirms “that the State of Texas claims sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States over all powers not otherwise enumerated.”
Perry, who happens to be running for re-election against (and trailing) someone who has been part of the federal government for almost 16 years, said, “I believe that our federal government has become oppressive. I believe it’s become oppressive in its size, its intrusion into the lives of our citizens and its interference with the affairs of our state.”

There was no mention of giving back the $51 billion in federal funds in the current state budget.

Following his speech, the Perry was asked, "Governor, has Senator Hutchison been an active participant in the expansion of Federal powers?"

"I would suggest that there are a number of folks in Washington, D.C. that have seen the Federal powers be expanded, she [Hutchison] being one of them."

The reporter then followed up with a second question, "In what ways, what things has she supported?"

"I'll get you the long distinguished list of those shortly", Perry replied with a chuckle or two coming from the crowd behind him.

This is an interesting strategy from what is supposed to be an all star-team of campaign and staff consultants. Here at KVR we'll be waiting on that long list with Hutchison's actions as a republican United States Senator representing Texan's.

We're sure that the list will include Perry's request for federal assistance in fighting wildfires and Hurricane Ike recovery along with many other federally-funded programs that benefit the State of Texas.

A video report was provided from Ken Herman at the Austin American Statesman showing clips of yesterday's speech given by Governor Perry.

Knight supports Republican Senate hopeful Roger Williams

2009-04-05T15:28:00.007-05:00

With so much focus on both Senator Hutchison and Governor Perry for the 2010 gubernatorial race, we can't lose sight of the ever growing important list of possible candidates vying to replace Kay's senate seat.

Today Aman Batheja at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that republican and former Texas Secretary of State Roger Williams has added a Knight to his war chest of supporters:

Famed — or infamous, depending on your allegiances — basketball coach Bobby Knight got involved in Texas politics Thursday, throwing his support to Roger Williams of Weatherford, a Republican who plans to run for Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison’s seat.
Knight, better known in the past for throwing chairs, said of Williams: "He’s not a politician. He’s a businessman and a problem-solver, and he will put Texas ahead by putting Texas children first."
Knight sent the remarks in an e-mail to Williams’ supporters. Knight and Williams have been friends for more than 15 years.
Williams, a Weatherford car dealer and former Texas secretary of state, is one of several who may vie for Hutchison’s seat. Other possible contenders include Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, Attorney General Greg Abbott, Houston Mayor Bill White and former state Comptroller John Sharp.

Mayor White already has his website up and running. Expect others to follow suite soon.

Texas' Governors Race to Affect GOP Nationwide

2009-04-05T13:42:00.010-05:00

There is a nationwide fascination with the race between Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and current Texas Governor Rick Perry.

We're still 576 days away from the November 2, 2010 election, but the race appears to be heating up. In the next few days we'll be highlighting the election team and consultants that both Hutchison and Perry have recruited to make sure they inherit the restored Governors Mansion.

Last Sunday the Associated Press reported on the developing race between Senator Hutchison and Governor Perry:

With Republicans nationwide wondering how to reunite the party, two of Texas’ highest-profile Republicans are trading jabs in advance of the 2010 primary race.
Perry insists he’s not thinking about any election during the legislative session, and Hutchison has said she won’t formally declare her challenge until summer.
But still, it’s clear that their clash has already started. Hutchison has rapidly built her campaign team, while the Perry re-election campaign has been digging for dirt on her husband, Dallas bond lawyer Ray Hutchison, at Dallas City Hall.
Meanwhile, the pair spar indirectly over issues including federal stimulus money (both dislike it, but Hutchison said last week that Perry should have tried to find a way to get unemployment money while avoiding federal strings) to million-dollar bonuses for managers of a state investment fund (Perry attacked the bonuses, while Hutchison suggested he was trying to punish one of her campaign supporters).
What looms could be a political cage fight on the national stage that could further split and weaken the party.
“There will be blood,” consultant Mark McKinnon said Sunday in the Austin American-Statesman. He has advised former President George W. Bush and the late Democratic Gov. Ann Richards. “Doesn’t matter who you’re for. It will be fun to watch the shoulder pads crack.”
Watching from afar, University of Virginia political scientist Larry Sabato said the Texas governor’s race, along with fights in Florida and California, could reveal whether Republicans across the board are forswearing political habits.
“If Hutchison can beat Perry in a GOP primary dominated by conservatives, it may indicate that some of the activists have gotten the message: The Republican Party cannot continue to win national elections simply with conservative white males,” Sabato said. “It will project (Hutchison) even further into the national debate.”
“She’s a prominent senator now. To be governor of Texas and to win as a moderate conservative Republican, she becomes a very hot property,” he said. “She’ll automatically become a prospect for vice president.”
Recent polls give Hutchison the early advantage. Most recently, a University of Texas survey of Republican primary voters found Hutchison was the favorite of 36 percent, compared with 30 percent for Perry.
But Perry, who has never lost an election, hasn’t given up ground.

At this point we'll remind our KVR readers that Governor Perry won his 2006 re-election with only 39% which is considered shockingly low. Alas, the AP article continues with an interview of a San Antonio republican:

Intent on winning a third term, which would give him up to 14 years as governor, he’s cast Hutchison as representing freewheeling Washington values in conflict with conservative Texas beliefs.
He hasn’t said so, but Perry’s camp is almost certain to remind voters she’s been a senator for nearly double the eight-plus years he’s been governor. At 65, she’s also older (he’s 59), and the two offer similar big-stage longevity. Both won their first statewide office in 1990.
Some Republicans worry that the contentious fight for the governor’s mansion could strain party ranks.
“I don’t understand this race,” said Jim Lunz, a veteran Bexar County activist. “Why are we having this? Why does Perry want to serve another term? And why does Kay want to leave the position she’s in?”
“If she doesn’t like the job she’s got, then why doesn’t she just go home? ... I would say there are probably a lot of people with these questions,” Lunz said.
While Republicans worry about the party, some Democrats are betting on damage to both Perry and Hutchison.
Fort Worth lawyer Tom Schieffer, a former Bush-appointed ambassador exploring a run for governor as a Democrat, predicts Perry and Hutchison will turn off most voters by focusing on conservative-leaning primary voters.
“It gives somebody like me with a middle-of-the-road philosophy an opportunity to demonstrate what a common-sense approach can do,” Schieffer said.

Here at KVR, we believe that Senator Hutchison must clearly separate herself on controversial issues. A repeat of her confusing and contradictory comments two weeks ago at the Texas Daily Newspaper Association left many reporters and supporters scratching their heads -- we know you've got to keep the republican party line talking points going -- but for goodness sakes, sieze on the opportunity to clearly seperate yourself from key and developing issues that affect Texans.

During her speech to the TDNA, Senator Hutchison spoke about how Perry lacked leadership. Well, now is your chance Senator, show us what you've got. Texans want a governor that will make tough decision and stand by them no matter how controversial they may be. And like him or not, that's what Governor Perry has done so far on controversial issues like HPV vaccinations and giving money to the Texas A&M System for the construction of a new drug laboratory.

Editors Note: Perry's re-election information updated based on feedback from Burnt Orange Report founder, Karl-Thomas Musselman. KVR welcomes and encourages comments to improve our blog postings.

What the ETF?

2009-03-27T18:30:00.002-05:00

The announcement from the governors office was probably meant to evoke a commitment for Texas to lead the nation in medical research and higher education.

Instead, the governor's announcement of a $50 million grant to create the National Center for Therapeutics Manufacturing (NCTM) at Texas A&M System has become his blunder of the week. Governor Perry's press release tried to generate excitement about this new laboratory:

The center will be an international destination for research and development of medications to combat diseases such as cancer, diabetes and influenza, and will serve as a model for future national facilities that will protect the nation from bio-terror threats and attacks.

“There is no question that the biotechnology industry is essential to developing products that can improve and save lives, and Texas is working to foster continued growth of this industry within the state,” said Gov. Perry. “I want Texas to be the place where innovative ideas can go from the lab room to the marketplace and this ETF investment will play an important role in bridging that gap. The development of this center will bring Texas to the forefront of the international stage of disease and biotechnology research and drug manufacturing.”

Hold the presses. What is this ETF the governor speaks of. His press release explained that:

The ETF is a $200 million initiative created by the Texas Legislature in 2005 at the governor’s request and was reauthorized in 2007. A 17-member advisory committee of high-tech leaders, entrepreneurs and research experts reviews potential projects and recommends funding allocations to the governor, lieutenant governor and speaker of the house.

For more information on the ETF, please visit http://www.emergingtechfund.com.

The Emergency Technology Fund (ETF) seems to catch Texas lawmakers off guard. The Austin American Statesman reported in an article today by Jason Embry and Ken Herman about the firestorm brewing over the use of ETF funding:

When Gov. Rick Perry and two other state leaders gave the Texas A&M University System $50 million for a new research facility in January, they did not seek approval from a 17-member panel that usually advises them on such decisions.
Perry moved the $50 million from the Texas Enterprise Fund, which the state uses to attract businesses, to the Emerging Technology Fund, which often pays for universities to partner with the private sector on technology-related projects. With the required approval from Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and then-House Speaker Tom Craddick, Perry then awarded the money to the Texas A&M system for a facility for vaccine and drug-therapy research.
Perry aides had indicated previously that the advisory panel had signed off on the grant. Governor's office officials said Thursday that they misspoke.

Some lawmakers have long called for more oversight of the funds, and the grant has drawn scrutiny this week from state House Appropriations Committee Chairman Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie. Pitts said he hopes to put language in the state budget that would prevent the governor from making similar transfers in the future. He said testimony from Perry aides in his committee led him to believe the advisory panel had signed off on the grant.
"Don't like it," Pitts said.

He said he plans to ask Perry aides more questions about the project when his committee meets today.

The 17-member panel usually recommends an Emerging Technology Fund project before the three state leaders sign off on it. But Perry did not seek the full panel's input on the project for the A&M system. Because the dollars started in the Enterprise Fund — and because Enterprise projects are not subject to the advisory panel — the full panel did not weigh in, said Allison Castle, a spokeswoman for Perry.

"The 17-member committee is advisory in nature and has no fiduciary role in the program, nor is their favorable recommendation required," Castle said.

So basically, its Perry "the Aggie" vs. the Legislature on this one. For someone that has declared his intent to be re-elected, this bad press can't be good. Who's running Ricks strategy?!? Must be an Aggie.

Sen. Hutchison & Secretary Clinton together at Dallas Women's Museum event

2009-03-27T18:00:00.004-05:00

Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, praised Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton today at the Dallas Women's Museum.

Gromer Jeffers Jr., reports from the Dallas Morning News' Trail Blazers Blog:

During an emotional moment at the Dallas Women's Museum, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison praised Hillary Rodham Clinton for "keeping a confident face" during the 2008 presidential campaign when "you were getting so many disappointments."
"You were completely devastated and you never let it show on your face," Hutchison said during the forum. "That character is why you are secretary of state today."

Clinton smiled as her eyes began to water. The audience then gave her a major ovation.

Senator Hutchison and Secretary Clinton were together for what the State Department reported in a press release as:

“Stories from the Top” is the premier event of Women’s History Month hosted by The Women’s Museum: An Institute for the Future. The purpose of this program is to recognize and applaud the achievements and contributions of our nation’s most outstanding women while raising funds for The Women’s Museum outreach and interpretative programming targeted to girls in the area surrounding Fair Park, Texas.

Senator Hutchison is the author of American Heroines: The Spirited Women who Shaped Our Country a book published in 2004 and Leading Ladies: American Trailblazers published in November 2008.

I wonder if anyone from the Governor's Commission for Women was present at today's event?

Perry's Missed Opportunity with Mexico

2009-03-24T20:00:00.014-05:00

The latest news from Mexico is bad. Really bad. Over the weekend the El Paso Times reported in an article written by Diana Washington Valdez that:

Mexican authorities have excavated more than 100 bodies of men and women from clandestine graves in Juárez over the past 14 years.

The latest such grave -- with the bodies of seven men and two women -- was discovered March 13-14 in a desert patch near the Villas de Alcala area in far northeastern Juárez, across the border from San Elizario.

Marisela Ortiz, a founder of the Nuestras Hijas, said "the Mexican government itself will be on trial in the case before the international court."

Jaime Hervella, an El Paso businessman and co-founder of the International Association of Relatives and Friends of Disappeared Persons, is asking the FBI to help families of victims find relatives who may be missing in Mexico.

A Juárez member of the organization contends the cartel is suspected of abducting more than 900 people during the past 14 years, including 30 to 50 U.S. citizens.

"We would like for the FBI to help the families who want to know if they match the DNA samples taken from victims of the (clandestine) graves in Juárez," Hervella said. "The families are afraid of the Mexican authorities, and won't go to their offices.

Wow, mass graves in Mexico that are in all probability linked to drug cartels?!? The last time Americans heard about mass graves was nearly ten years ago during the Bosnian-Serbian war.

As if that weren't enough to worry folks along the Mexico/Texas border, the U.S. State Department issued a travel advisory to Americans on February 20, 2009:

Mexican drug cartels are engaged in an increasingly violent conflict - both among themselves and with Mexican security services - for control of narcotics trafficking routes along the U.S.-Mexico border. In order to combat violence, the government of Mexico has deployed troops in various parts of the country. U.S. citizens should cooperate fully with official checkpoints when traveling on Mexican highways.

Some recent Mexican army and police confrontations with drug cartels have resembled small-unit combat, with cartels employing automatic weapons and grenades. Large firefights have taken place in many towns and cities across Mexico but most recently in northern Mexico, including Tijuana, Chihuahua City and Ciudad Juarez. During some of these incidents, U.S. citizens have been trapped and temporarily prevented from leaving the area. The U.S. Mission in Mexico currently restricts non-essential travel to the state of Durango and all parts of the state of Coahuila south of Mexican Highways 25 and 22 and the Alamos River for U.S. government employees assigned to Mexico. This restriction was implemented in light of the recent increase in assaults, murders, and kidnappings in those two states. The situation in northern Mexico remains fluid; the location and timing of future armed engagements cannot be predicted.

The situation in Ciudad Juarez is of special concern. Mexican authorities report that more than 1,800 people have been killed in the city since January 2008. Additionally, this city of 1.6 million people experienced more than 17,000 car thefts and 1,650 carjackings in 2008. U.S. citizens should pay close attention to their surroundings while traveling in Ciudad Juarez, avoid isolated locations during late night and early morning hours, and remain alert to news reports. A recent series of muggings near the U.S. Consulate General in Ciudad Juarez targeted applicants for U.S. visas. Visa and other service seekers visiting the Consulate are encouraged to make arrangements to pay for those services using a non-cash method.

All of this alarming news gave Governor Perry a unique opportunity to take the national stage during a moment of not just an international border crisis, but a crisis affecting border towns in Texas. Yet instead of working to foster stronger relations with federal and state agencies to protect communities along the Texas border, the Governor instead asked the White House for a martial law like response.

Today's press release from the Governors office provides his reasoning (and seemingly whining) about the President's refusal to send troops to Texas' border:

Statement by Gov. Rick Perry on the Obama Administration's Plan to Combat Mexican Drug Cartels:

"Texas is pleased the Administration recognizes that securing the U.S.-Mexico border is vitally important to public safety and homeland security.

"While we appreciate the additional investigative resources, what we really need are more border patrol agents and officers at the bridges to conduct increased northbound and southbound inspections, as well as additional funding for local law enforcement along the border to deny Mexican drug cartels access to the United States.

"I have asked the Administration for an immediate deployment of 1,000 additional National Guard troops to support civilian law enforcement and border patrol agents and remain hopeful that we will get the resources we need. The state of Texas will continue to fill in the gaps until the federal government provides adequate resources necessary to secure our border and protect our citizens from those seeking to do us harm."

Texas is currently spending $110 million to secure the Texas-Mexico border and the governor has requested an additional $135 million from the Texas Legislature to continue these border security efforts and combat transnational gangs.

Here are a few steps Perry could have taken:

Inviting the Governors of New Mexico, Arizona and California to Texas for a "border state summit";
Sending envoy's to the Mexican states of Tamaulipas, Nuevo León and Coahuila -- the Texas Secretary of State's office already works with Mexican states on other issues;
Sending the Governor's Director of Homeland Security, Steve McCraw, to border communities to get intel of his own from those that live there;
Specifically requested money for the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to setup temporary task forces with local law enforcement to combat drug cartels in Texas communities.

Asking the legislature for another $25 million isn't going to do much. With the upcoming gubernatorial election just 587 days away, Governor Perry needs to demonstrate real leadership. Whining about the President not sending troops to the border in a martial-law like manner isn't going to get many votes.

Today's New York Times reminded Americans that:

The suggestion by Mr. Obama that American troops might be moved toward the border to combat drug cartels prompted Gen. Guillermo Galván, Mexico’s defense secretary, to assert that no deployment of foreign soldiers would be allowed on Mexican soil. History was at the root of the concern here, as even Mexican schoolchildren know of the war a century and a half ago in which the United States seized half of Mexico’s territory.

To understand a more about the drug cartels impact on border states, click here to watch an ABC News report that aired earlier today.

As Texans we certainly expect more solutions and clearer stances from Senator Hutchison as she moves from her exploratory committee to actually announcing her official intent to run against Rick Perry.

The Difference between Perry & Hutchison on Unemployment?

2009-03-24T13:57:00.010-05:00

Yesterday's speeches by both the Senator and Governor made several of us scratch our heads about where each stood on the subject of stimulus funding for unemployment.

Click here for a link to the Houston Chronicle's video interview with Senator Hutchison at yesterday's Texas Daily Newspapers Association meeting.

Senator Hutchison would be wise to understand that nearly one million Texan's are out of work. With funds for the Texas Workforce Commission expected to become insolvent within six months, this issue should be a high priority. If the Senator were to clearly set herself apart from Governor Perry's outright rejection based on the claim that the State's legislature has opposed the type of unemployment insurance coverage required by the federal stimulus bill, she could probably jump up in the polls a bit.

With so much media attention on this issue, its clear that the November 2, 2010 gubernatorial election in Texas is going to be interesting. Only 587 more days to go...

Sen. Hutchison says Perry not acting like a Leader

2009-03-23T15:11:00.007-05:00

Jason Embry has posted additional information regarding Senator Hutchison's comments during a speech earlier today at the TDNA:

“The reason Texas is in good shape today is because of the attributes that we have that neither the governor nor I produced,” Hutchison told the newspaper group, speaking a few hours before Perry.
Earlier this month, Perry announced that he did not want the state to take $556 million in federal stimulus money in exchange for broadening the state’s unemployment insurance program.

The state’s unemployment trust fund is projected to be $750 million below a required threshold next fall, which would trigger a tax increase on employers to replenish it.

A federal infusion would not make the trust fund whole or preclude the rate increase. But it would reduce the amount needed to bring it back to the required level.

Hutchison criticized Perry’s approach but did not say whether she would have also rejected the federal aid.

“I agree with him on the point that the fed government should not have mandated the specifics in the coverage,” Hutchison said. “However I believe that we look at all of the aspects of this, that we are in a position where it’s not status quo in the fund. I think there are management questions about where we are.”

She added, “A leader would be taking time to look at all of these aspects and coming up with a better solution.”

Perry has said that taking the federal dollars would have cost more in the long run.

Listen to Senator Hutchison's exchange with reporters via the Houston Chronicle's media player:

Governor Perry was the keynote speaker for the same group at the Texas Daily Newspaper Association and spoke shorly after 12:30pm. Jason Embry also included the following comments from the Governor in his post:

“Our low taxes, controlled government spending and fair legal system give us a leg up on other states,” Perry told the Texas Daily Newspapers Association on Monday.
Perry has said that taking the federal dollars would have cost more in the long run.

“I think most Texans look at Washington, D.C. today and see what’s going on up there and they’re like, ‘Listen, the last thing we want is Washington coming down here to Texas and telling us how to run our state,’” Perry said. “We have a system in place that works. The people who lose their jobs by no fault of their own are going to be covered.”

Signaling how he will run against Hutchison, Perry used the word “Washington” seven times in a 100-second exchange with reporters.

KBH wants Perry to accept $555 Million Federal for Unemployment

2009-03-23T13:12:00.006-05:00

Senator Hutchison has made clear her stance on Perry's rejection of $550 million for unemployment from the federal stimulus bill.

The Associated Press reports:

Gubernatorial candidate Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison says Gov. Rick Perry should be looking for ways to accept $550 million in unemployment fund stimulus money but without committing the state to future federal mandates.
She told reporters at a Texas Daily Newspaper Association meeting Monday there may be a way to do that. She said Perry should be looking at every avenue to keep employers from facing higher unemployment taxes next year.

Perry faces Hutchison in the 2010 Republican primary. He recently rejected the federal money that would rescue the struggling unemployment insurance fund. He said it would commit the state to expanding jobless benefits.

Lawmakers call the move politically motivated.

Perry's aides did not immediately respond to Hutchison's remarks.

Not sure where Team Perry is or why they haven't responded. Usually the Governor's team is pretty quick at responding to comments. Perhaps they are still trying to figure out Empower Texans' conference call system from last night?

New York Times Editorial Pleads with Perry to Accept Stimulus Funding

2009-03-23T11:29:00.010-05:00

Yesterday's editorial in the New York Times sharply criticized Governor Perry:

The unemployment portion of the federal stimulus package offers generous support to the states. To accept it, these states must make two reasonable changes in their unemployment insurance law. They must expand eligibility requirements that bar too many low-income workers from receiving compensation. And they must choose from a menu of options that include extending benefits to part-time workers and those who leave jobs because of family emergencies.
The claim by some governors that the unemployment aid would lead directly to tax increases has also been discredited. New taxes are triggered automatically when unemployment trust funds fall below specified levels. In many cases, filling their coffers with stimulus aid would actually postpone tax increases. When the stimulus money is spent, states would also be free to revert to the old unemployment insurance laws.
In Texas, Governor Perry’s decision to reject the money has sown considerable anger in the State Legislature. A House committee urged the full Legislature to overturn the governor’s decision. Lawmakers acted after seeing projections that the state unemployment fund was on track to run out of money in the fall, which would drive up taxes. Meanwhile, Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina now says that he won’t accept $700 million in education money unless he can use it to pay down debt.
The time has clearly passed for posturing. With large numbers of people losing their jobs, Mr. Jindal and Mr. Perry need to do what is best for their states and their struggling workers.

Live Blogging: Conference call with Gov. Perry

2009-03-22T19:00:00.016-05:00

6:57pm
Just dialed into the conference call, but only music plays with a recorded message reminding us that, "the conference will begin when the speaker arrives."

7:13pm
Still waiting. Music never changes. Same recording.

7:15pm
The music stopped, but because I was disconnected.

7:16pm
Just dialed back in. Same music. Still waiting. Same recording.

7:23pm
Still just hearing music and the same recording...

7:30pm
One can only wonder what's going on. Still the same music and recording. The conference call was scheduled to begin at 7:00pm this evening. Comment or send a msg to @kayvsrick on Twitter if you know more about what's going on?!?

7:32pm
Just got disconnected again. Dialing back in.

7:34pm
Had to dial the conference call number a couple of times to get through. Either they are having major technical difficulties or Governor Perry and guests aren't available yet.

7:38pm
Sources within the Perry camp advise us that the conference call is still on, but they are experiencing some technical difficulties. Meanwhile, same music and recording.

7:41pm
The conference call that was scheduled to begin at 7pm still hasn't started. Same music. Same recording.

7:43pm
Looks like the conference call has been postponed. Details to follow.

7:48pm
New tweet from @GovernorPerry confirms the call has been postponed:

@mslinda25 Conference call tonight with @mqsullivan postponed to another day..... looks like they had a major technical malfunction...less than 10 seconds ago from web in reply to mslinda25

An email from Michael Quinn Sullivan at Empower Texans sheds further light about the technical problem:

We are sorry for the inconvenience, but the conference call this evening had to be cancelled this evening due to technical difficulties on our vendor’s end.
We hope to reschedule the call shortly.
Again, I am very sorry for the inconvenience.
Respectfully Yours,
Michael Quinn Sullivan
& the EmpowerTexans.com Team

The email was sent from Mr. Sullivan at 7:40pm, but ended up in many people's spam/bulk mail folder.

Conference Call with Governor Perry at 7pm

2009-03-22T17:46:00.008-05:00

Texans for Fiscal Responsibility (d.b.a. Empower Texans) is sponsoring a conference call with Governor Perry, Phil King, Geanie Morrison and Ken Paxton this evening.

At 7 p.m. Sunday, simply dial toll-free (888)-356-3090, and then enter extension 12715.

The call will be focused primarily on the effects of the federal stimulus package on Texas' taxpayers and policy.

You will be able to ask questions by pressing "0" on your phone's keypad. An operator will confirm your name and get the substance of your question so we can structure the time.

We will try to get to as many questions as possible.

The organization's website states that, "Empower Texans exists to create and sustain a system of strong fiscal stewardship within all levels of Texas government, ensuring the greatest amounts of economic and personal liberty, and promoting public policies that provide individuals with the freedom to use their strengths and talents in pursuit of greater opportunities."

I'll be live blogging during the conference call, so visit kayvsrick.com for updates!

KBH Fundraiser in Round Rock today

2009-03-20T05:00:00.002-05:00

Gardner Shelby at the Austin American Statesman reports that a fundraiser will be held for KBH in Round Rock this afternoon:

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison is scheduled to alight in Round Rock at midday Friday for a fund-raiser for her governor’s campaign hosted by the chairman-elect of the Round Rock Chamber of Commerce, Tom Vaughan, and his wife, Jana. U.S. Rep. John Carter, R-Round Rock, likewise is penciled in to be there; he earlier aired his support for Hutchison for governor.
Mr. Vaughan, a retiree, told me he’s supported GOP Gov. Rick Perry, but believes Hutchison deserves a shot in 2010. Hutchison and Perry are poised to face off in the March 2010 Republican primary.

“I’ve been a little disenchanted; I don’t think (Perry has) treated us as fairly as I think we should have been treated on our property taxes as well as our insurance; homeowner’s insurance specifically,” Vaughan said. And, he said, “he seems to be spending a whole lot of time on the border and not enough on education.”

Shelby's report says that, "An invitation shows tickets available for $40 for givers 25 and younger up to $500 per person on the host committee. Hutchison’s campaign has more information at 512-236-8656."

Last month the Community Impact Newspaper reported that Senator Hutchison, "was in Round Rock Feb. 17 to take part in a Republican steering committee meeting urging citizens to get involved with her campaign for Governor in 2010." Additional text from the newspaper includes:

U.S. Rep. John Carter, R-District 31, introduced the senator. Hutchison outlined key points of her campaign at the meeting, including lowering property taxes and electricity rates, reforming the education system to eliminate the high rate of dropouts, improving transportation, private property rights and access to health care.

"These are just some of the many areas to be addressed," Hutchison said. "We have to be good stewards of government so the Republicans can stay in control." Hutchison and Republicans in Williamson County and throughout the state are working to maintain Texas as a red state, she said.

Keep in mind that in December, KBH transferred $7.9 million from her federal campaign account into her state fund, which gave her an instant and early lead over Governor Perry. Around the same time, Perry reported having $6.6 million in campaign cash on hand at the end of December.

Why the TWC will eventually end up with the $555 Million for Unemployment

2009-03-19T02:49:00.005-05:00

Call it a change in political strategy or crisis management, but a lot has changed in past few days since Gov. Perry has publicly rejected the $555 Million in federal stimulus money intended to shore up Texas's unemployment funding.

This weekend a number of Texas newspapers decried Perry's rejection in editorials. An editorial in Sunday's Houston Chronicle was the first to outline a possible means of accepting the federal unemployment stimulus funding:

The governor doesn’t have to accept this on our say-so. It’s according to Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio. In a visit with the Chronicle editorial board on Friday, Straus said it may be possible to do a “hard sunset” on the program.
Translated from the Austinese, that means that the program could be ended when the federal stimulus dollars run out. There would be no permanent costs to the state’s business owners; no permanent changes to the state system dictated by Washington, as Perry evidently fears. Meanwhile, think of the good this would do tiding deserving folks over till the good times return. Straus said language in the stimulus bill may even offer guidance.

Then on Tuesday, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram offered a little more insight into a possible plan to accept the stimulus money:

But under a proposal by commission Chairman Tom Pauken, Texas would make the mandated changes to accept the money and then revert to current law after the federal dollars run out. Pauken floated the idea at his nomination hearing in February and has since met with lawmakers in both parties to further discuss the plan.
Pauken’s efforts were made independently of Perry’s office and reflect an apparent difference of opinion between the two men.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers is advancing a similar plan in legislation gaining ground in the Senate. Pauken has also been praised by lawmakers who want to overturn Perry’s rejection of the money.

Tom Pauken's efforts to go around the Governor and work with the Legislature shows what a political hot potato this has become; especially over the weekend.

A number of news outlets reported on an interesting public meeting held on Saturday in Arlington hosted by State Rep. Jim Dunnam of Waco, the chairman for the Select Committee on Federal Economic Stabilization Funding. The metroplex's KERA reported on Saturday's meeting:

Governor Perry's rejection of stimulus money for the unemployed lead to an overflow crowd of 500 at UT- Arlington on Saturday. KERA's Shelley Kofler reports it was part of the legislature's process for deciding how stimulus money is spent.

As citizens jammed the university conference hall workers removed room partitions to double the seating. Still a hundred more stood in the hallway unable to squeeze in.
The House committee chaired by Democrat Jim Dunnam of Waco is considering how Texas should spend $16 billion in stimulus dollars already accepted by Governor Perry.
But most of the crowd was here to weigh in on the Governor's promise to block $555-million unemployment dollars. While Perry has officially accepted Washington's stimulus package Texas will only qualify for the unemployment chunk if state legislators change state law. Texas would have to expand benefits to include part-time workers or two other groups currently not covered.

Over five hundred people at one public meeting, with most there to question why Gov. Perry rejected the aid. That's terrible media for the Governor, but it also shows the gravity of the unemployment situation in Texas. An article in yesterday's Houston Chronicle included the following statistics:

A new Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas prediction of the state economy said globalization and international economic turmoil “are largely overwhelming the ability to dampen the downturn through local efforts.”
Exports are down. The energy industry is contracting. Commercial building is facing a drop-off.
Unemployment is growing rapidly, with a loss of 296,000 Texas jobs predicted for this year.
Texas lost 75,800 jobs in January alone, according to the Texas Workforce Commission.
There are now an estimated 797,000 unemployed Texans, with 196,000 collecting unemployment.

Nearly one million unemployed Texans... hey Rick, can you spare a dime?

Needle-exchange bill bothers Perry

2009-03-18T17:52:00.008-05:00

Jason Embry at the Austin American-Statesman has blogged about Governor Perry's opposition to a needle-exchange bill in the Legislature:

Legislation passed in the Senate today that would allow addicts to exchange dirty syringes for clean ones could run into a veto from Gov. Rick Perry if it continues to move through the Legislature.

“The governor is opposed to the needle-exchange proposal,” said Perry spokeswoman Allison Castle. “We need to focus on substance abuse prevention, not providing an incentive to continue illegal drug use.”

0n March 3rd, Emily Ramshaw a blogger for Belo's dallasnews.com, provided more background on the bill Perry now publicly opposes:

The Senate Health and Human Services Committee yet again passed Sen. Bob Deuell's controversial needle exchange bill - one that made it through the full Senate last session but never got a vote in the House.
The measure, which Dr. Deuell didn't always support, would allow drug addicts to exchange dirty needles for clean ones - which is medically proven to reduce HIV and Hepatitis transmission, and actually, to help addicts find their way into rehab. Texas is the only state in the nation that doesn't allow it.
"There has been no evidence to show doing this increases drug use," Deuell said, noting that organizations that run needle exchanges find about 20 percent of their patrons enter rehab programs. The programs generally reduce HIV infections by 30 percent - and the Department of State Health Services projects such a program would prevent 100 new cases of HIV a year in Texas.
The measure "alleviates a lot of human suffering and also saves states money," Deuell said, because the state ends up footing the bill for a lot of the HIV treatment.

If the bill were to make it through the legislature, each individual county would be able to create a needle-exchange program. Such a program would probably be seen only in urban counties like Travis, Bexar, Harris, Fort Bend, Dallas and Tarrant -- I doubt we'd ever see a needle-exchange program in Trinity County, but who knows?

Is Hutchison Spending Enough Time Campaigning?

2009-03-17T16:44:00.002-05:00

Paul Burka of Texas Monthly suggests that she isn't, and there is good reason to agree with him.

After Sen. Hutchison announced that she will not be resigning from the Senate, the question must be asked how, exactly, will she balance campaigning with the need to be in Washington to vote in the U.S. Senate.

I realize that there is still almost a year until Election Day, but Perry has already entered campaign mode and Hutchison must follow suit soon or she will lose ground.

From Burka Blog:

Speaking of whom: Where is she? Hutchison hasn’t been heard from much. I know from the story that I wrote on the governor’s race in February that their strategy is not to engage with Perry. That is the advice that Karl Rove gave them. (There is no love lost between Rove and Perry, going back to Perry’s 1998 race for lieutenant governor. Rove wanted Bush to demonstrate his strength among Hispanic voters by carrying El Paso, and the more Hispanics he turned out, the more votes he produced for Perry’s Democratic opponent, John Sharp–at least that’s the way Perry saw it.) Hutchison is going to have to start positioning herself in this race. Perry wants to make her the candidate of Washington (as opposed to himself, the candidate of Texas), and she is going to have to burnish her GOP credentials by taking on Obama and the Democrats. Perry is not going to let her run on her personality.

So many people seem to think that Hutchison will win this primary walking away. That just isn't going to happen. Perry continues to have a strong lead among Republican men and social conservatives. As long as he can hold on to those two groups, this will be an extremely competitive and close primary.

QR: Could Perry Be Planning Special Session?

2009-03-16T18:09:00.002-05:00

Via Twitter, Quorum Report is hearing rumors from House members that Gov. Rick Perry could call a special session to keep the focus on Voter ID and his opposition to federal bailout programs.

Of course, that is just a rumor. But we thought it was worth mentioning.

What do you think the chances of that happening are?

Update - More from QR:

But the word on the House floor today was that there are only a million Texans the governor cares about right now -- likely Republican primary voters. Both voter ID and rejecting stimulus dollars work for him with these voters. He would keep center stage as he battled Washington and "liberals", so the storyline goes.

The storyline that Perry ONLY cares about next year's primary and is putting politics before governing is gathering strength. Will it have an affect on the race? At this point, too early to tell, but KBH is likely to try to make it stick.

Dunnam, Coleman: Perry's Decision Will "Not Play Well in Conservative Circles"

2009-03-16T17:30:00.006-05:00

From the Quorum Report:

Reps. Jim Dunnam (D-Waco) and Garnet Coleman (D-Houston) predicted today that Gov. Perry’s decision to reject $555 million in enhanced unemployment insurance aid would not play well in conservative circles once people realize that the state’s employers would have to make up that money through higher unemployment taxes.

“We’re talking doubling the tax on small employers,” Dunnam said while meeting with members of the Capitol press corps this morning. He said the facts in favor of accepting the aid would make it difficult for Perry to maintain his position.

He pointed to statements made by Bill Allaway of Texas Taxpayers and Research Association (TTARA) and the economist Ray Perryman yesterday in favor of taking the UI money. Perryman, who testified Thursday before Dunnam’s select committee on the federal stimulus package said that accepting the enhanced aid would have an immediate impact on the economy and would create $2.66 of economic impact for every $1 in aid. That’s due to the effect of the aid money flowing from unemployed workers into local businesses and through the rest of the economy.

So far, Perry's decision to reject the $555 million federal unemployment funds seems to have helped him rally the GOP base.

But in the long term could Dunnam and Coleman be right? Could this decision come back to haunt Perry? Tell us what you think in the comments.

Perry Campaign Uses Robo Calls to Push Supporters to Committee Hearing UPDATED

2009-03-16T17:26:00.004-05:00

After showcasing the power of its email list last week in the Voter ID battle, the Perry campaign is once again flexing its muscle in support of legislation.

This time, Perry is rallying anti-bailout supporters to attend a House Select Committee hearing at UT-Arlington.

From the Ft Worth Star-Telegram:

Beginning with a "Howdy, this is Gov. Rick Perry," the governor's latest robocall encourages those who think like him on this issue to show up and testify at a special hearing at the University of Texas at Arlington tomorrow.

"I'm sorry I missed you but this Saturday you will have the chance to voice your frustration about the federal stimulus and the heavy cost it's going to place on Texans," Perry says in the call.

The Select Federal Economic Stabilization Funding Committee is holding the UT-A hearing to accept public testimony on the stimulus money. Local lawmakers are expected to attend. The committee was created to provide oversight on the billions coming to Texas from the stimulus package.

Perry already started an anti-bailout campaign website and his campaign will certainly continue to attack Hutchison for her past support of bailouts.

LISTEN TO THE AUDIO OF GOV. PERRY'S ROBOCALL, from the Ft Worth Star Telegram.

Wayne Slater: Perry's Unemployment Decision Was About GOP Primary

2009-03-16T17:02:00.001-05:00

From Dallas Morning News political writer's Twitter feed (@WayneSlater), we learn the veteran reporter's opinion Rick Perry's decision to reject federal unemployment funds.

On "Texas Politics" on WFAA this morning; Asked if Perry's unemployment money decision was politics? Absolutely. He's appealing to GOP right.

Whether you agree with Slater or not, it will be interesting to see how the accusations that Perry is "playing politics" instead of governing play out over the next year. The accusations have come from both Hutchison backers and Democrats alike already and they aren't likely to stop anytime soon.

New Poll: Hutchison 36, Perry 30

2009-03-16T13:02:00.000-05:00

A new poll from the University of Texas Government Department shows Kay Bailey Hutchison with a smaller lead and has many more undecided voters than previous voters.

Among respondents who said they intended to vote in the Republican primary in 2010, probable candidate US Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison led Governor Rick Perry 36%-30%, with 11% saying they would support someone else and a substantial 24% undecided . (The Democratic field had not taken shape at the time the survey was designed.)

Due to the margin of error, this poll shows that the race is essentially tied. Of course, this far out, it is difficult to put too much stock in polling.

Read the rest of the polling report (pdf)

Texas Political News on Twitter

2009-03-16T12:05:00.000-05:00

Thanks to one of our great readers, Kay vs Rick is proud to now have one of the most comprehensive collections of Texas political outlets and reporters on Twitter.

Take a look at the side bar. Other bloggers are free to use, but please credit.

Perry receives award in DC, but we didn't find out until the next day?!?

2009-03-15T21:33:00.003-05:00

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported on today that:

Without publicly announcing it, Gov. Rick Perry took a taxpayer-funded trip to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday to receive an award from the American Medical Association and hold a breakfast for the Texas congressional delegation the next day.
U.S. Rep. Solomon Ortiz, D-Corpus Christi, said most Texas House members attended and listened to Perry talk about the stimulus, troops on the border and toll roads. Reporters were not invited to the "closed" meeting. Texas’ senators, including Perry’s likely GOP gubernatorial rival, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, weren’t there, either.
Perry’s news release announcing the Dr. Nathan Davis Award for Outstanding Government Service, for Perry’s work to cap medical malpractice awards, was issued the day after he received it. The release is datelined Austin and does not mention that the event was held in Washington.

That's odd. If I were receiving an award, I'd want everyone to know about it, especially if I am the Governor from the great State of Texas. A quick scan of @GovernorPerry on Twitter shows the following three related tweets:

Flew into Washington tonight for the American Medical Association's Nathan Davis Awards. About 30 degrees warmer outside right now in Texas.4:27 PM Mar 10th from TwitterBerry
Just left Texas Medical Association reception here in Washington. They nominated me for the AMA's Nathan Davis award I received last night.9:38 AM Mar 11th from TwitterBerry
Very grateful for TMA’s support and confidence. Humbled by the award. Leaving DC for God's Country!!9:39 AM Mar 11th from TwitterBerry

Click here to see the official press release from the Office of the Governor issued the day after the award.

Perry Trying to Build Support by Rejecting Unemployment Funding and More...

2009-03-14T03:26:00.000-05:00

In an article by Jason Embry in today's Austin American-Statesman, Governor Perry has been stepping up his legislative and seemingly conservative leadership positions in an effort to build support for his re-election bid.

The governor was very clear since Day One that he is opposed to any part of this bill that would have an undue burden on taxpayers, long after the federal funds have dried up," Perry spokeswoman Allison Castle said.

Among Perry's efforts cited in the AAS article are:

Announcing his opposition to $555 Million in Federal Stimulus funding despite warnings from the chairman of the Texas Workforce Commission, Tom Pauken, that the TWC could become insolvent within months;
Promoting a new "Choose Life" license plate for Texas vehicles;
Calling for a Texas constitutional amendment to forbid the acquisition of land for non-public use through condemnation proceedings.

Other recent moves not identified in the article include the Governors announcement through TxDOT executive director Amadeo Saenz this past January stating the controversial Texas Trans-Corridor project was canceled. Additionally, this week, the Governor took steps to mitigate a potentially damaging report about three generals in the Texas Military Forces that have been double-dipping in pay.

Perry's attempt to build support by rejecting federal dollars for unemployment didn't go unoticed by Senator Hutichinon's team. Wayne Slater was wise to write in yesterday's Dallas Morning News that essentially Hutchinson's response was short, concise and calculated:

"I hope that the governor has carefully thought through the potential outcomes of today's decision," Hutchison said in a written statement.

Now, here in Texas we like to say, them there are fightin' words.

Perry Rejects Unemployment Funds, KBH Denounces Decision

2009-03-12T16:04:00.000-05:00

Gov. Perry has decided to reject $555 million in unemployment insurance funds for Texas. Many, including Texas Democratic Party Chair Boyd Richie, have (unsurprisingly) describes Perry's move as political posturing.
From Elise Hu's KVUE blog, here is Kay Bailey Hutchison's reaction:

I hope that the Governor has carefully thought through the potential outcomes of today's decision. With the state unemployment fund dangerously close to falling below the legal threshold, it is imperative that the Governor does nothing that potentially burdens small businesses with higher taxes in tough economic times or pushes those who have recently become unemployed and their families into further economic peril," said Hutchison, in a statement.

What do you think of Perry's decision? Tell us in the comments.

Houston Chronicle on "Perry's Perks"

2009-03-09T09:40:00.000-05:00

As the longest serving Governor in Texas history, Rick Perry has been living on the state's dime for quite some time. In today's Houston Chronicle, Clay Robison wrote an article "Perry's perks shield him from real woes." The Perry campaign cannot like seeing stories like this ....

From the Chronicle:

Unlike thousands of his fellow Texans, Gov. Rick Perry is assured of a job for at least another 22 months and doesn’t have to worry about mortgage payments.
He has the keys to a big suburban house in Austin’s scenic hills that costs taxpayers $9,900 a month in rent.
These may not be the reasons he is threatening to snub $555 million in extra federal money for unemployment benefits for his more-mortal constituents. But the governor’s perks have made him blind and deaf to everyday realities, some critics believe.
“He’s been living off the government longer than any of these (unemployed) people ever would receive benefits,” said Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston.

Read the rest of the article.

What do you think? Is this a fair line of criticism?

Waco Tribune-Herald Goes After Perry on VA Hospitals

2009-03-08T18:27:00.000-05:00

Carlos Sanchez of the Waco Tribune-Herald has a bruising editorial entitled "Thanks for nothing, Rick" that is worth a read.

From the Tribune-Herald:

Political pundits anticipate a bruising contest that will redefine the meaning of mudslinging.

And I feel compelled to get out early to compare how these powerful figures have done by Waco.

Let’s review: A federal commission recommends that the Waco Veterans Affairs Hospital be shuttered as part of a national cost-cutting effort. Hutchison steps up to the plate on behalf of Waco and convinces the then-VA secretary to reverse that recommendation and save one of this community’s economic mainstays.

Fast-forward several years. Another recommendation haunts Waco’s economic well-being: this time a staff recommendation by the Texas Department of Transportation to freeze McLennan County out of discretionary highway funding from a federal stimulus package worth $1.2 billion.

This time, the ball is in Perry’s court. His response? Absolutely nothing. A final vote by his Texas Transportation Commission last week stiffed McLennan County at a time when it has some real economic momentum for the first time in decades and when such funding could have leveraged our momentum into some real economic vitality for this community. And it would benefit everyone who travels Texas’ most strategic traffic artery.

Based on these two important moments in Waco’s development, which politician did right by us and which one took us for granted?

New Poll: Hutchison Leads 56-31

2009-02-24T15:01:00.000-06:00

A North Carolina-based Democratic pollster has found that Kay Bailey Hutchison is leading Rick Perry 56 percent to 31 percent among likely Republican primary voters.

The last polling numbers we had, taken in December, were Hutchison at 55 and Perry at 31.

From the Statesman:

“If the Republican primary were held today, Rick Perry’s tenure… would be coming to an end,” Raleigh-based Public Policy Polling said online today. Its survey suggests Perry trails Hutchison 56-31 percent among likely GOP primary voters.

The group polled 797 likely Republican primary voters from February 18-20. The survey’s margin of error is +/-3.5%. Other factors, such as refusal to be interviewed and weighting, may introduce additional error that is more difficult to quantify.

Hutchison is viewed favorably by 75 percent of voters likely to vote in the Republican primary, while 60 percent have a positive opinion of Perry.

“Rick Perry is in grave danger of losing in the primary,” said Dean Debnam, president of Public Policy Polling, with the big reason being Hutchison’s greater popularity.

“It would be hard for anyone to beat her in an election,” Debnam said.

Predict the New Poll

2009-02-23T23:35:00.001-06:00

A new poll will be released Tuesday. Tell us your predictions.

Here's mine:

Hutchison 51
Perry 35

Maybe I shouldn't describe it as a "prediction." More like a wild guess.

I expect Hutchison may have lost a little support due to her position on the bailouts but I still her above 50 percent. Perry has made mistakes recently (no doubt) but for whatever reason they don't seem to be sticking.

So, tell us, what do you think the latest poll will show?

Former Perry Staffer Joins Hutchison Campaign

2009-02-23T23:26:00.000-06:00

Hans Klingler, the current Republican Party of Texas communications director and former political director to Rick Perry's 1998 campaign for Lt. Gov, will be leaving the state party to run communications for Hutchison's campaign.

Is this another sign that the Republican establishment is abandoning Rick Perry?

More on the story from the DMN.

Perry Blasts Hutchison at Travis County GOP Event

2009-02-22T11:50:00.001-06:00

From the Statesman:

Perry, who generally insists he's focused on the legislative session, mentioned Washington 10 times in 24 minutes, injecting praise just once by noting President Barack Obama's peaceful inauguration.

Rosemary Edwards, who chairs the Travis County GOP, said Perry's barbs could have been intended for anyone in Congress.

Yet Perry framed his pops by comparing state Republicans who balanced the budget without tax increases in 2003 with unnamed people who run as conservatives but govern like Democrats in the nation's capital. That's a contrast he wants to push against Hutchison.

Our nation's founders, Perry said, could never fathom leaders centralizing power in a sprawling federal government, possible references to last year's Wall Street bailout (supported by Hutchison) and spending in Obama's economic stimulus plan that she, like Perry, has questioned.

Perry said of federal spending: "I can't imagine what Texas would look like if we had applied the same principles and the same decision-making in Texas that they're applying in Washington.

It is abundantly clear that Rick Perry intends to attach Kay Bailey Hutchison to everything that is wrong with Washington. Question is, will it work?

Politico: Governors Prepare for Spotlight

2009-02-20T23:47:00.001-06:00

Politico has a good read about the power of Republican Governors within the party right now.

This quote just about sums it up:

“Republicans don’t have a lot of power to do anything” in Congress, said veteran GOP strategist Mike Murphy. “All the governing power of the GOP is there [among governors] right now.”

Will the Palin Endorsement Help Perry?

2009-02-20T00:25:00.001-06:00

A lot has been made of Sarah Palin's endorsement of Rick Perry.

How do you think it will affect the race? Tell us in the comments.

Perry Supporter Connects Hutchison to Obama on Abortion

2009-02-19T15:40:00.000-06:00

There is no doubt that if Rick Perry has his way, abortion will become a top issue in the GOP primary next year.

A prominent Rick Perry supporter has been distributing a handout that compares Hutchison's record on abortion to that of President Obama.

From the Star-Telegram:

The handout, a chart labeled "The Stakes Are High," praises Perry as someone who "has always been active in the pro-life movement" and lines him up alongside Sen. John Cornyn.

Hutchison is listed alongside Obama with the note: "Senator Hutchison supports legal abortion until viability and has called for the removal or weakening of the pro-life plank of the Republican party."

Rick Perry on the Stimulus Package

2009-02-15T00:01:00.000-06:00

Could Rick Perry really reject the Texas share of the federal stimulus package?

And, if he did, would it help him in the Republican Primary next year?

The answer to the second question is probably "yes," but will it really come to that?

From the DMN:

"If there's any risk Perry would reject that money, we want responsible lawmakers to take it, allocate it and use it for Texas," said state Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, D-El Paso.

Perry spokeswoman Allison Castle wouldn't say if the governor will oppose taking any of the aid.

"The governor continues to oppose the bailout, but if Congress does allocate taxpayer money, a lot of which is from hard-working Texans, then Texans deserve their fair share," she said.

Several state lawmakers have asked the stimulus package's congressional authors to add wording to let a legislature bypass a governor and accept the federal help.

The U.S. House has passed a stimulus bill with the bypass provision, though it doesn't appear to be in a Senate version.

Even as some prepare to call his bluff, Perry has started a website called NoGovernmentBailouts.com.

As Rick Perry's role as governor continues to merge with his role as gubernatorial candidate, who knows what is possible.

Hutchison Appears on Mike Huckabee's Show

2009-02-13T01:31:00.000-06:00

Sen. Hutchison appearance on Huckabee's Fox News show could be an attempt to build some credibility among social conservatives. Huckabee rode the support of social conservatives to a first place showing in the Iowa caucuses last year.

Her first words: "I love your show."

WOAI-TV San Antonio Poll on Gov Race

2009-02-12T16:23:00.000-06:00

WOAI-TV San Antonio is conducting a poll asking who its audience thinks will win the Governor's race, as the race has really begun to intensify in recent days.

However you want to describe it, the expected race between Governor Rick Perry and Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison hit some kind of new level this week with its first real insult.

Perry dissed Hutchison saying "...you can't even do the (job) that we've hired you to do."

Maybe Perry cranked it up a notch after Paul Burka's Texas Monthly cover story called their fight for the Republican nomination for governor in 2010 "The Thrilla in Vanilla" with a "demure" Senator Kay taking on the "straightlaced" Governor Rick.

So maybe the governor was trying to prove he has a little street-fighter inside his straightlaces. And that a battle pitting former Aggie yell-leader and Eagle Scout Rick against former Longhorn cheerleader sorority sister Kay doesn't have to be all vanilla.

Whatever inspired it, that one little jab led to more ink, blogs, Web hits and general buzz than anything their expected race has seen before. I think I actually heard a couple of people who aren't political junkies talk about it. I could be wrong.

So let the polls begin.

Vote now.

DMN on Hutchsion's Senate Seat

2009-02-12T15:15:00.000-06:00

Could Democratic hopes for KBH's U.S. Senate seat affect the Governor's race.

WASHINGTON – The Democrats’ top Senate campaign strategist said his party has an eye on Kay Bailey Hutchison’s seat – but not too close an eye.

“No place is a bridge too far for Democrats,” said New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, briefing reporters this afternoon on the 2010 electoral playing field ...

Read the rest of the Dallas Morning News story.

TDP Goes After Hutchison

2009-02-11T23:12:00.000-06:00

The Southeast Texas Examiner has the story, with responses from TDP Chair Boyd Richie and Hutchison's office.

Texas Democratic Party Chairman Boyd Richie was quick to issue a statement taking Hutchinson to task for missing the debate and votes, noting that other than Hutchinson, the only members of the Senate who missed the votes were Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass) suffering from a brain tumor and Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) who is not participating in Senate votes due to his nomination as Secretary of Commerce.

Hutchison to Obama: Don't Close GITMO

2009-02-11T22:50:00.000-06:00

Although Kay Bailey Hutchison opted not to draft an anti-closing letter that Rep. Lamar Smith (R-San Antonio) wrote (the only other GOP Texan in DC not to sign it was Ron Paul), she still is urging President Obama not to close Guantanamo Bay.

From the Dallas Morning News:

"While sending detainees to the United States is clearly an unsupported choice, and an option fraught with risk, the alternative of sending Guantanamo Bay detainees to prisons in foreign countries or releasing them to their home country is equally a risky option posing potential harm for our country," she writes.

"...We should not abandon the security of Guantanamo Bay for the alternative of foreign transfers that could pose harm to our allies."

Are Democrats Scared of Hutchison?

2009-02-10T22:53:00.000-06:00

An article from the San Antonio Express-News suggests that high-profile Democrats like Bill White are avoiding the Governor's race because they do not want to run against Hutchison.

Houston Mayor Bill White, whose associates were once spreading the word that he would be a gubernatorial candidate, and former state Comptroller John Sharp, whose interest once was state government, have moved toward the Senate race.

They are angling for the seat that Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, who is running for governor, will vacate.

If Gov. Rick Perry were the lone Republican contender, the top Texas Democrats would be rushing to challenge him. Perry only netted 39 percent of the vote in his last race. But Hutchison’s presence makes their odds a whole lot slimmer.

Hutchison has successfully worked the turf that the late Sen. Lloyd Bentsen so succcessfully mastered – business-oriented conservatism – instead of the far-right terrain that Perry claims.

Comparing Hutchison to Lloyd Bensten? That one I had not heard before.

Pro-Life Leader Weighs In

2009-02-10T22:48:00.000-06:00

This has got to be music to Rick Perry's ears. Here is what Vision America head and pro-life activist Dr. Rick Scarborough had to say about Perry vs Hutchison.

"Rick Perry has his detractors in Texas and I have been openly critical of some of his positions as Governor, but he is solidly pro-life and pro-family and Texas has prospered under his able leadership," he said. "Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, who is pro-choice, is apparently willing to expose her own party in Washington to a possible filibuster proof Democratic majority by vacating her seat as U.S. senator while simultaneously dividing her party in Texas with a costly and politically divisive bid to be Governor which is not warranted."

Perry Creates Anti-Bailout Web Site

2009-02-10T15:42:00.000-06:00

The Statesman's Gardner Selby has the story on Rick Perry's campaign creating a website that "says no more federal bailouts."

A Perry aide claims its not targeted at Hutchison .... right.

Hutchison, Perry on UTIMCO, Rowling

2009-02-10T13:24:00.001-06:00

From the Houston Chronicle, reaction from both Hutchison and Perry:

Thirteen months before Election Day and things are already getting pretty nasty.

More on Rowling, UTIMCO

2009-02-10T02:56:00.000-06:00

The Statesman's Jason Embry has more on Robert Rowling and UTIMCO as it has become the subject of a bitter back and forth between Perry and Hutchison.

2/9 Round Up

2009-02-09T23:43:00.000-06:00

The Dallas Morning News has a story on the swipes both camps are taking at each other.

"I think it's pretty hard to explain to Texans that you want to come to Texas and do another job when you can't even do the one that we've hired you to do," Perry said in response to a reporter's question about Hutchison being in Texas while an $827 billion economic stimulus bill was debated in Washington.

Hutchison has also accused Perry of criticizing UTIMCO chair Robert Rowling because he was listed as a KBH supporter.

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer has KBH on the stimulus debate.
Is Rick Perry really going to reject the stimulus package? The DMN has the story. Personally, seems more like Perry posturing than anything. He wouldn't really do that, would he?
The LA Times ponders a Palin/Perry ticket in 2012. Yikes.
The Wilson County News calls Rick Perry the "Flim-Flam Man." And that's not a compliment.

Hutchison vs Kerry on "MTP"

2009-02-09T23:30:00.000-06:00

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Kay vs Rick 2010: Blogging the 2010 Texas Republican Gubernatorial Primary

2009-02-09T23:15:00.000-06:00

The upcoming battle for the Republican nomination for Texas Governor is already shaping up to be one of the dirtiest and toughest campaigns in recent history.

U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison is leading in the polls but incumbent Gov. Rick Perry is not going down without a fight.

Read Kay vs Rick for the latest on what promises to be next cycle's most exciting rimary.