Rick Perry vs World

12 February 2006

Shorts

1. The AP does some mini-profiles on the unknowns in the Republican and Democratic gubernatorial primaries: Larry Kilgore, Star Locke, Rhett Smith, and Rashad Jafer.

2. More AP, from KTRK, on Rick Perry's speech at CPAC.

"The public expects Democrats to spend because that's what they do," Perry said. "On the other hand, they elect Republicans to stop that from happening, and if Republicans keep spending like Democrats, the public will elect the real thing."

...

Perry, who is seeking re-election and has minor opposition in the March 7 primary, counted himself as a Republican who has stayed true to conservative principles of less government and limited spending.

"It seems as if conservatives won the war at the ballot box and then let the opposition keep most of the land," Perry said. Some supporters put President Bush in that category.

...

Perry told the crowd conservatism is not about dismantling government but making the right investments in the right priorities -- such as border security.

"How many more Border Patrol agents could have been placed on the border if Congress lived with just 13,000 earmarks instead of the 14,000 contained in legislation in 2004?" Perry asked referring to what some call "pork" in federal spending bills.

Oblique shot at his former ticket-mate? Hmm.

3. Tinsley at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram writes on Strayhorn and Friedman's desire to have people not vote in the primaries. Those independents are awfully lucky Felix Alvarado's check bounced him off the Democratic primary ballot.

4. Why not have one more AP story?

A Republican audience applauds as Gov. Rick Perry lists his achievements: luring businesses to Texas, requiring parental consent for abortions, banning gay marriage.

With the help of a teleprompter, he delivers a carefully worded speech at each stop on his campaign kickoff trek across Texas. Behind the scenes, aides choreograph coming events, arrange for television ads and mail fundraising letters.

It's early in this election year, and Perry is the incumbent in President Bush's red home state, yet he's leaving nothing to chance. Even with the backing of the GOP establishment and only minor opposition in his March 7 primary, he's already campaigning hard for re-election.

...

Strayhorn said Perry's early intensity is aimed at her.

"He knows we've got a two-person, a real race here. I am going to win this race," she said. "I love it. I have never been happier in my political life."

Indeed, in almost gleeful fashion, Strayhorn constantly criticizes Perry over what she says is his failure to lead the state in solving school finance and improving children's health care.

Strayhorn's best hope is that the Democratic nominee polls so low that Democrats vote for her, seeing her as the credible alternative to Perry.

Posted by Evan @ 02/12/06 10:06 PM | Comments (0)

08 February 2006

Kinky Friedman calls for tax cut?

He never ceases to surprise me:

Kinky Friedman on Tuesday became the second candidate in the gubernatorial race to say surplus state funds should be returned to taxpayers.

Carole Keeton Strayhorn, the state comptroller, called last year for unspent dollars to be spread among hurricane-damaged communities. She subsequently said dollars should be delivered to homeowners confronting escalating school property taxes. Friedman and Strayhorn are independent aspirants for governor. Each one can reach the November ballot only by collecting more than 45,000 voter signatures this spring.

Friedman, pegging the state's budget surplus at $3 billion, based on a report by The Associated Press, charged Strayhorn with failing to estimate state revenue and said GOP Gov. Rick Perry, who seeks re-election, has not been "looking out for the interests of the people."

Perry spokesman Robert Black, noted that Perry favors cutting school property taxes by billions and that he intends to call a spring session on property taxes and public education.

"We're happy to see Kinky hop on the tax cut train as it leaves the station," Black said.

Selby's wordsmithing leaves me a bit unclear: was Friedman suggesting a tax cut? A tax rebate? Giving money to hurricane victims? Given the context, I'm assuming Friedman was calling for a tax cut/rebate, which surprises me.

RELATED: The Statesman's Selby profiles Kinky Friedman contributor John McCall. McCall has given 1/3 of the $1.8M that Friedman has raised.

UNRELATED: Quite a few new posts over at Tom DeLay vs World.

Posted by Evan @ 02/08/06 09:10 PM | Comments (2)

Kronberg prints the Strayhorn/Perry verbal volleys

The state has $4.3 billion that hasn't been appropriated (some was set aside, purposely). Sounds like a good thing? Perry and Strayhorn are exchanging words about it.

I was about to write, "Must be campaign season." But really, these two don't really need an excuse to fire a press release about the other, do they? But that's fine; the reason we have elections is to let voters decide who they like better. Kronberg:

Strayhorn stressed that her revenue estimate was not an update of her revenue forecast. She said the $4.3 billion simply reflected the actions of the regular and special sessions in 2005. She also refused to speculate on how the money could affect how the Legislature targets tax reform. "I’m not going to even play that game," she said. "This speaks for itself."

She addressed criticism by Perry on Wednesday that she was delinquent in collecting $2.6 billion in funds due to the state and that she was late in making her revenue estimate. She said the funds in question had been referred to the state Attorney General after her office made every attempt to collect the money. Some of the money has lain uncollected for up to 10 years.

Strayhorn, who is running for governor as an independent, accused Perry of playing politics with the numbers.

"I believe that the governor of the state has a responsibility to know the facts and to tell the people of Texas the truth," she said. "This is a partisan attack, a political attack, and once again the governor is not telling the people of Texas the truth.

...

Kathy Walt speaking on behalf of the Governor's office issued a statement chastising the Comptroller.

"Though Comptroller Strayhorn has a long history of revising her revenue estimates, today she took it one step further by contradicting a previous number she published as final just three months ago. Bottom line: this comptroller can’t count."

The Governor's office added the following explanantion: "Today Strayhorn raised by $800 million the amount of unanticipated revenue she reported Texas had at the close of the fiscal year on Aug. 31, 2005. As recently as November, in her own office’s Fiscal Notes publication, Strayhorn wrote that she had closed the books on the 2004-05 biennium and had identified $1.2 billion in unanticipated revenue that came into the state during the last three months of the year. Today she admitted she was off by $800 million by now saying there is $2 billion in unanticipated revenues. If she had closed the books on the biennium, why is she changing the bottom line by $800 million? "

Deputy Comptroller Billy Hamilton responded, ""On Sept. 1, 2005, the first day of the new fiscal year, Comptroller Strayhorn reported to the people of Texas and the Legislature the good news about the state’s revenue situation. She said, after closing the books on the fiscal year, $1.2 billion in unanticipated and unexpected revenue was available.

Hamilton continued, "Over the course of the next several weeks and months, the Comptroller’s office reviewed income and expenditures for hundreds of year-end state agency accounts. It was that lengthy review that allowed her to report today an additional $800 million in available revenue. This is a normal review and report produced by the Comptroller's office each biennium after the certification of the General Appropriations act."

Posted by Evan @ 02/08/06 07:11 PM | Comments (0)

Bell and Gammage to debate tomorrow

Pink Dome reports that Bell and Gammage will tape a debate tomorrow for WFAA.

Wayne Slater of DMN and Brad Watson of WFAA will moderate. WFAA will stream it live over the internet, as well.

Posted by Evan @ 02/08/06 06:45 PM | Comments (0)

BOR interviews Bell and Gammage

Recently re-launched Burnt Orange Report's Phil Martin has two interesting interviews with Chris Bell and Bob Gammage.

I'm amused by Gammage's response to Martin's question about Republican proposals on education: "Crap, crap, and crap." You don't see that sort of candor frequently. I'm sure Laurence appreciates it.

Martin plans to post the second part of each interview tomorrow.

UPDATE: Vince L has also interviewed Bell and Gammage.

Posted by Evan @ 02/08/06 05:38 PM | Comments (0)

Perry: Special session likely to deal only with tax system, not education

Clay Robison in the Houston Chronicle:

Gov. Rick Perry wants the Legislature, in a special session this spring, to cut school property taxes by about one-third but postpone action on other education changes until next year, a legislator who met with the governor said Monday.

"The governor was saying we're not going to do any (school) reforms this session," [state Sen. Jeff] Wentworth said, despite calls by House Speaker Tom Craddick and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst for changes in how education dollars are spent.

...

Perry spokeswoman Kathy Walt on Monday confirmed the governor's meeting with the San Antonio legislators but declined to say what specifically was discussed.

"The governor has indicated that his primary interest and focus right now will be on addressing the Supreme Court ruling," Walt said.

She said other items could be added to the agenda after the finance changes are addressed. The governor sets the agenda for a special session, which can last as long as 30 days.

I'm pretty sure it was always the governor's intention to just deal with the tax system; that was my impression anyway.

UPDATE: Dewhurst feels differently. Perry, of course, is the one who decides what to include on the agenda for any special sessions:

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst told the Texas Association of Business this afternoon that he wants a call on the special session this spring that goes beyond the business tax.

Dewhurst said it was his take, after talking with senators, that no one is going to have the appetite to take on education again in the regular session once the special session is over. The special session will be the time, Dewhurst said, to tackle issues such as the college and workforce readiness of the state's high school graduates.

"We must focus on doing that which is necessary to improve the quality of education," Dewhurst said, stressing that a better-educated workforce is the key to economic development in the state. "We have got to improve academic performance."

Posted by Evan @ 02/08/06 12:09 PM | Comments (0)

New Survey USA survey out

WOAI commissions a survey of 400 Texans every month. Here is this month's:

Felix Alvarado
8% Favorable
8% Unfavorable
14% Neutral
70% Unfamiliar

Chris Bell
7% Favorable
10% Unfavorable
21% Neutral
62% Unfamiliar

Larry Camp
5% Favorable
11% Unfavorable
19% Neutral
65% Unfamiliar

Marcus Cherry
3% Favorable
8% Unfavorable
20% Neutral
69% Unfamiliar

"Kinky" Friedman
21% Favorable
26% Unfavorable
28% Neutral
25% Unfamiliar

Bob Gammage
7% Favorable
9% Unfavorable
20% Neutral
64% Unfamiliar

Rashad Jafer
4% Favorable
14% Unfavorable
11% Neutral
71% Unfamiliar

William Jean
6% Favorable
7% Unfavorable
18% Neutral
69% Unfamiliar

Larry Kilgore
8% Favorable
10% Unfavorable
20% Neutral
61% Unfamiliar

Rick Perry
46% Favorable
37% Unfavorable
13% Neutral
4% Unfamiliar

Mike Redlich
3% Favorable
8% Unfavorable
15% Neutral
74% Unfamiliar

Rhett Smith
5% Favorable
9% Unfavorable
20% Neutral
67% Unfamiliar

Carol Keeton Strayhorn
40% Favorable
23% Unfavorable
19% Neutral
18% Unfamiliar

James Werner
5% Favorable
8% Unfavorable
18% Neutral
68% Unfamiliar

For comparison's sake, last month is here.

Remember, this is only 400 people, so margin of error is on the high side. Probably about 5 percent. More importantly, it's only of Texans, not registered voters and not likely voters.

Posted by Evan @ 02/08/06 11:41 AM | Comments (1)

07 February 2006

More money numbers

Peggy Fikac -- SAEN has the new fundraising numbers:

. . .Bell reported raising the $60,681 and spending $73,270.

Bell, a former congressman out of Houston, reported $152,297 in cash on hand as of Jan. 26, down from $165,444 as of Dec. 31.

Stanford said the campaign raised "six figures" in the entire month of January, noting the Jan. 26 cutoff.

Jeremy Warren of Gammage's campaign provided his candidate's totals, saying Gammage had $61,929.20 cash on hand as of Jan. 26. That is up from $52,940 at the end of 2005.

A former state lawmaker and congressman who also has served on the Texas Supreme Court, Gammage raised $30,507.94 and spent $23,964.94 during the first part of the year, Warren said. He got into the race late in 2005.

Perry reported raising $260,738 during the last reporting period and having $9.1 million cash on hand after expenditures including advertising and a three-day, 12-city tour launching his re-election campaign.

He had $11.5 million cash on hand at the end of 2005. His campaign said about $2 million was spent on television and radio advertising.

Because only candidates in contested primaries were required to file Monday, neither Strayhorn nor fellow independent hopeful Kinky Friedman, an entertainer and author, had to submit reports. Both are bypassing the primaries with their effort to get on the ballot as independent candidates.

Friedman's campaign, when asked by a reporter, said he raised about $125,000 in January but didn't immediately have a tally for expenditures.

Strayhorn, who reported $8.1 million cash on hand at the end of 2005 and also ran TV advertising in January, didn't provide a voluntary update. Her campaign donors include traditionally Democratic backers.

"The Democratic donor base has to realize that the best chance at beating Rick Perry is to support Chris Bell," said Stanford, his spokesman.

"There is a ton of Democratic money in the governor's race right now. The only problem is, right now, it's going to a Republican."

In this, Bell's/Gammage's interest coincide with Perry.

Which makes you wonder: it may make more sense right now for the Democrats' to try to reduce Strayhorn's poll numbers than Perry's, in the hopes that they can recapture the flow of Democratic money.

Posted by Evan @ 02/07/06 12:28 PM | Comments (0)

03 February 2006

Been busy

I've been busy with life. My apologies. Until I start making more than pennies a day from this blog, it will probably not be my first priority in life. Heh.

I may post some over the weekend, but this weekend should be pretty busy too. But I have some posts planned for both here and Tom DeLay vs World.

As Arnold would say, I'll be back.

Posted by Evan @ 02/03/06 04:46 PM | Comments (0)

30 January 2006

Teachers, unions, wooing

The Waco Tribune's David Doerr and Dan Genz write about the political wooing of teachers this year.

Nonetheless, politicians are courting educators because they hold the key to many thousands of votes, said Thomas Myers, a Baylor University associate professor of political science.

"The strength of teachers is in numbers," he said. "Every county, every city has a number of teachers in it. So if your strategy is to go after blocs, that's a fairly big bloc."

The four teachers groups are poised to make a statement in the 2006 elections, said Harvey Kronberg, editor of "The Quorum Report," an online newsletter on Texas politics.

"They all are really fanning the flames to get their people to vote and to communicate that public education and teachers are under assault," he said. "This may be insider myopia, but I think it's going to resonate this time."

Kronberg said opinion polls show a surprising number of people are aware of the failed special sessions and partly blame the problem on the Republicans in charge, including Perry.

How many extra voters can teacher's unions push to the polls? Will they all vote as a bloc? If they don't vote as a bloc, then the influence of any extra voters will be diluted.

Turnout might be higher this year, but I don't see how it will matter, except in a very close election.

Posted by Evan @ 01/30/06 12:27 PM | Comments (0)

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