Rick Perry vs World

26 October 2006

Shorts

President Bush is expected to attend a rally for Republican candidates at Reunion Arena on Nov. 6, a day before the midterm elections that could cost his party control of Congress. The rally will also feature Gov. Rick Perry and other state GOP candidates. It has become customary for Mr. Bush to finish campaign swings in Dallas; in previous years, he's done so at Southern Methodist University. He is expected to vote in Crawford on Election Day.

Gromer Jeffers Jr.

Perry takes swing at Bell on border security

LUFKIN, Texas – Republican Gov. Rick Perry made several stops Tuesday in East Texas, highlighting his efforts to secure the border with Mexico and criticizing Democratic opponent Chris Bell. Mr. Perry talked up his efforts to fight crime along the border, including sending National Guard troops there even before President Bush asked them to go, and said again that he'll ask the Legislature for $100 million to sustain border crime-fighting programs. He said that, as a congressman, Mr. Bell voted against using troops to patrol the border and for making it harder to deport illegal immigrants.

I'd note that Bush actually had reason to finish campaign swings in Dallas previously. In 02, he had John Cornyn. And in 04, he had Pete Sessions. In 06, the closest candidate is Van Taylor, in Bush's home district to the south of Dallas. We'll see if Bush promotes Taylor.

2. Remember that funny moment in the debate?

Turns out "Frank from Atlanta" really isn't from Atlanta.

But he is Frank. He is black. And he's now back in Texas to help his long-time friend Kinky Friedman, who's been dogged by accusations of racism as he pursues his independent bid for governor.

"Whenever he'd come to Atlanta for a book signing, that's where I would meet him," Mason said. "That's why he calls me 'Frank from Atlanta.'"

"It hurts me," Mason said of the accusations [that Kinky is a racist]. "And I know it's hurting him."

3. SAEN/Chron profiles Carole Keeton Strayhorn. Nothing really new here, but I noted George Strake's quote

He and other Republicans laugh at Strayhorn's claims of being an outsider aiming to shake up Austin's status quo. The theme "just doesn't fit," he says.

"She's running as an outsider but she's been the ultimate insider for 20 years," Strake says. "I think she is burning with ambition to be a governor, and I think she is sacrificing a lot of her old friendships and loyalties and principles to do it."

Lots of people have had a good laugh about how she's not an Austin insider.

Posted by Evan @ 10/26/06 01:19 AM | Comments (0)

Dallas Morning News' Wayne Slater:

Mayor Leonard Scarcella of Stafford, a Houston suburb, says he knows who's to blame for a $2.6 million hole in his budget – politically well-connected firms that sign up corporations with promises of lowering their taxes.

"This is the new ambulance chasing," Mr. Scarcella said.

Stafford is among several local entities that were told this year to repay sales tax revenue because of a $130 million refund that a Dallas-based consulting firm won for Texas Instruments Inc.

TI was represented in its appeal to the state comptroller's office by Ryan & Co., which pocketed about $50 million as its share for successfully appealing the case.

Executives from Ryan & Co. are the biggest campaign contributor to Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn, who is running for governor as an independent. So the dust-up over the Texas Instruments refund underscores the connection between campaign politics and the real-world effects of public policy.

Sure sounds like Wayne Slater thinks there's some there there. [Is that groans I hear? Admit it, you love that there phrasing.]

Posted by Evan @ 10/26/06 01:06 AM | Comments (0)

Rumor mill

Rumor mill from Houtopia. We'll see if it's in the DMN tomorrow:

Word is, the Dallas Morning News will report tomorrow on a statewide poll conducted by Brian Epstein for Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison. The poll will show Rick Perry is in deep trouble -- garnering just 32% support of those sampled -- with Chris Bell nipping at his heels at 27%, Carole Strayhorn trailing with 20%, and Kinky Friedman cratering in single digits. This is huge news, folks.

I'd note that most of the polls lately have showed Perry with higher than that.

I'd also note that Paul Burka says the rumor isn't true:

There's no love lost between Hutchison and Perry, as everyone knows, but I can't imagine that Hutchison would implant that dagger between Perry's shoulder blades (as much as she might like to), or that Bryan Eppstein, who does almost all of his political work for Republicans, would release a poll that hurts Perry and possibly the entire GOP ticket. Perry has high negatives--60% of the people won't vote for him--but that still leaves him with a potential 40% of the vote. The bottom line is this: The governor's race is a ten-point race, NOT a five-point race, until proven otherwise.

I still feel pretty good about my prediction over a month ago:

Perry 44%
Bell 31%
Friedman 13%
Strayhorn 10%
Werner 2%

UPDATE: Well, since there wasn't anything in Wednesday's or Thursday's Dallas Morning News, I think we can safely assume that this rumor was false. Is it me or is the Democratic rumor mill working overtime right now? (Hat tip to Kevin in the comments)

Posted by Evan @ 10/26/06 12:24 AM | Comments (1)

Radnofsky calls Hutchison a liar

San Angelo Standard Times:

''[Kay Bailey Hutchison is] lying about the intelligence in 2002,'' Radnofsky said by phone Tuesday. ''This whole cut-and-run notion she barely applies to Afghanistan. We've really cut and run in Afghanistan.''

Do you ever feel like Radnofsky still thinks she's running in the Democratic primary run-off? I mean, nothing like calling the most popular politician in Texas an outright liar to do wonders for your credibility.

Posted by Evan @ 10/26/06 12:12 AM | Comments (0)

25 October 2006

Democrats for George Antuna

Longtime readers of the blog know that I've been watching the district 118 race for the Texas House. George Antuna is the sort of candidate Republicans should be supporting, as it is essential to the future of the Texas GOP that it develop a crop of future Latino candidates.

Antuna is in the midst of a tough race on San Antonio's South Side in a Democratic-leaning district, but he just might win it. Check out this column by Ken Rodriguez:

At 38, Antuna seems to know more about relevant funding tools for District 118 than Farias, 60.

That may be one reason Antuna is cutting into Farias' Democratic base.

Tuesday morning, Antuna began rattling off names of his Democratic supporters. Among them: Former state Rep. Jerry Beauchamp, former City Councilwoman Toni Moorhouse, former City Councilwoman and County Commissioner Helen Dutmer, and family members of the late Congressman Frank Tejeda.

...

He may be the smarter, more polished and better spoken candidate, but Antuna needs to secure Democratic votes to win.

He needs help from people like Blas Guzman, 68, a longtime South Side Democrat. Antuna won Guzman's support only recently.

"I like the way he talks and explains things about the district," Guzman says. "He moved into the barrio over here. A lot of people would have had second thoughts about that. He's not pushy. He's got humility. I don't think he's a true politician. I think he's a people person."

Once Antuna connected with Guzman, Guzman began talking him up to friends and family.

"It's hard to turn some around," Guzman admits. "They are old, die-hard, straight-ticket voters."

Still, Antuna has more crossover appeal in 118 than does Farias.

Some Democrats are working openly for Antuna. Lillie Tejeda, mother of the late congressman, placed an Antuna sign outside her South Side beauty shop. Others are block-walking and talking to friends.

Farias?

"Do you have any Republican support," I ask.

"No," he says.

... (this is actually the beginning of the article)

At a recent political forum, a questioner asked District 118 House candidate Joe Farias if he would support the Texas Enterprise Fund.
In a stunning show of transparency, Farias pleaded ignorance.

"I'm not familiar with that program," he said.

That's not like Carole Keeton Strayhorn admitting she doesn't know the name of Mexico's president-elect. It's worse.

Yikes. Farias didn't have a clue whether he supports the Texas Enterprise Fund. Antuna has the support of a number of prominent Democrats, and his experience in politics obviously makes him more equipped to jump into the state house. If this weren't a tough year for the GOP, one would have to think Antuna would win this seat.

Antuna has certainly convinced Ken Rodriguez that he's the better candidate, and that it isn't particularly close.

Posted by Evan @ 10/25/06 11:25 PM | Comments (1)

The NRCC is actually playing

The NRCC just crossed the seven digit divide in CD22.

Yup, they've spent over a million in support of Shelley. So, despite what I said last night about the NRCC only playing a little, it looks like they're actually playing quite a bit. Add in Bush's pre-election visit, and it's a little surprising. On the other hand, this is one of those districts where a Bush visit is a clear positive for the GOP candidate.

Posted by Evan @ 10/25/06 04:03 PM | Comments (0)

Endorsements so far

Austin American-Statesman: Rick Perry (Perry's an Aggie. Aren't the other 3 t-sips?)
Dallas Morning News: Rick Perry
Fort Worth Star-Telegram: Chris Bell
Houston Chronicle: Carole Strayhorn
San Antonio Express-News: Rick Perry
Midland Reporter-Telegram: Rick Perry
Galveston County Daily News: Kinky Friedman
Bryan-College Station Eagle: Rick Perry

I'm sure I've missed some. Feel free to add in the comments. Links are added if I don't have to search for the link at this very instant.

Posted by Evan @ 10/25/06 12:38 AM | Comments (0)

The national parties are playing (a little) in CD22

Do the DCCC and the NRCC have too much money?

I really can't figure out why congressional committee either is spending money in CD22. For the DCCC, it's a district that Rahm Emanuel (subject of a recent WashPost uber-puff piece) should be viewing as rock solid. If he loses this one, he needn't worry about his chances of Democrats regaining the House. Why bother dropping a piece trying to confuse Republicans about write-ins?

For his Republican counterpart, it's tough for me to believe that there aren't Republicans who could use the money. If you were going to spend, it'd be smart to attack Lampson. However, I haven't seen any negative ads on TV. After all, Shelley won't do attack Lampson (time for Kyle Janek in two years?), and may as well soften him up for the campaign two years from now, when he'll have had 2 years to try and burnish the idea that he's not a standard, run-of-the-mill Democrat. And hey, maybe in two years Lampson will actually live in the district!

But seriously, I almost wonder if this was a ploy that Reynolds used just to make Emanuel and Lampson spend money.

Posted by Evan @ 10/25/06 12:11 AM | Comments (0)

23 October 2006

Event I'll be at

Tonight at Rice's business school, Les Alexander, Drayton McLane, and Bob McNair will participate in a panel discussion on the business of sports.

Sounds fascinating. I'll be there.

Posted by Evan @ 10/23/06 01:57 PM | Comments (2)

I love it!

Turnout is key to Texas gubernatorial race

It's always a fun time to see at what spot in the election cycle the journos start writing these articles. Who votes is the key to an election? Imagine that. Anyway, the Chron writes the first one I've seen, but like I said, I haven't really been paying attention.

Posted by Evan @ 10/23/06 12:00 AM | Comments (0)

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