(Politics1.com frontpage)

Questions to debate:
1.)Who will win this race?

2.)What major issues will decide who wins the primary?

Questions to debate:
1.)Who will win this race?

Perry could still win if he continues to do as good a job at "Teflonning Up" as he has in the past. You have to dig deep to see how fiscally irresponsible he has been with Texas Taxpayers. He and Bush inherited a $6 Billion surplus from Richards and now seem destined to lose $14 Billion by the end of Perry's current term - net loss of $20 Billion.

2.)What major issues will decide who wins the primary?


Perry has done nothing to lower taxes, reduce the deficit, or stop insurers from charging Texans more than ANY other state in the nation for auto and homowners insurance.

He was even caught on TV using profanity after an interview when he had just signed a bill the week before in a Texas Church. However, this is the only link to the comment I could find on the web:

The full story is available from the 'Austin Amercan- Statesman' which requires registration.



link: http://www.statesman.com/search/search/adi...uery=adios+mofo

link to story about Perry signing anti-abortion bill in a Church: http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/06/06/texasbill.church.ap/


Perry's use of off-color remarks is not limited to this most recent episode. Only days before that, in touting his gay marriage ban, he suggested that gay soldiers returning from Iraq might want to find more 'lenient' states to live in.

Questions to debate:

1.)Who will win this race?

It is probably to early to tell. I am personally so angry with Governor Rick Perry that I may register as a Republican and vote for Strayhorn in the primary. I can then vote for the Democrat in the general election. Republicans used to do this when the Democrats controlled. I am a committed liberal Democrat, but I can also be cynical and Machiavellian, especially if it is to the detriment of Republicans.

2.)What major issues will decide who wins the primary?

PACPanzer did an excellent job enumerating many of Governor Rick Perry’s more egregious SINS. There is no need for me to reiterate what he wrote.

The best issue Carole Keeton Strayhorn has going for her is Rick Perry himself. It’s hard to characterize Perry. To me he seems a dour, almost lifeless person. A friend once said he was “dumber than a hammer.”



http://www.news8austin.com/content/your_ne...asp?ArID=139903

Perhaps one of the elephants is DUMBO, another apt description of Perry. Personally, I think of him as Bus[c]h Lite.

When Tom DeLay was supposed to be in Washington in the summer of 2003, he was, in fact, in Austin helping draw up a map for Texas Congressional redistricting. After, a spineless Governor Perry called three special sessions, DeLay finally got his way.

According to the Houston Chronicle:



http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/m...politan/2148270

Here is a recap of the three special session dates:



http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/citizenResource...st2003chron.cfm

Then in April, 2004 Perry called another special session on school financing. This session ended in failure.

http://www.txla.org/pubs/texline/040413.html

It seems Perry was more concerned with what DeLay wanted than he was with the needs of Texas’ school kids.

The regular session of the Texas Legislature ended in May, 2005 without producing a school finance bill. Perry had said that he would not call a special session until there was agreement among Texas house and senate leaders. Then he vetoed the entire appropriation for school finance and called a special session.

According to R. A. Dyer of the Fort Worth Star Telegram’s Austin Bureau:



http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/legislature/11934362.htm

I would suggest that the bold move is calculated to save Perry’s worthless hide.

The special session started Tuesday (June 21, 2005) with no agreement among the state’s three top Republican “leaders.”

According to Jay Root and John Moritz also of the Fort Worth Star Telegram’s Austin Bureau:



<snip>

Ignorance and arrogance are often found in the same individual at the same time. Perry’s rather blasé dismissal of opposition to his proposal is a case in point.



http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/11955256.htm

Something’s rotten. Good news moif it’s not in Denmark this time, it’s in AUSTIN and its name is Rick Perry. There’s an old saying about when you find yourself in a hole, it’s time to stop digging. Apparently our governor hasn’t learned that lesson.

I predict this special session will also end in failure.

ISSUES? There is only one issue in this primary and that issue is OUR incompetent governor and his dismal record.

Note: Fort Worth Star Telegram links require registration, but it’s free.

Thanks for all of the information about Rick Perry. I had no clue that people were so disaffected with him. To be honest with you, my initial thoughts were that he's the incumbent and that they typically never lose a primary challenge. I know he was W's protege and that Strayhorn is McClellan's momma. The president has stated that he's neutral on this issue since he's friends with both candidates. I had no clue about the Texas budget going through the roof, his cussing gaffe, as well as intervening in the whole redistricting imbroglio. Wow, it might just be closer than I thought. With all that being said, I think Perry will survive since he's the incumbent and the party is very unlikely to change horses in mid-stream. I'll break the 2-2 tie and say that Perry will win.

Just a follow-up post on the Texas Gubernatorial election. It ought to be as "batty" as the airspace around the famous Congress Street bridge on a summer's eve where it is estimated that some 6,000,000 bats patiently wait in line to venture forth from the recesses of the quarter mile structure to hunt insects over Town Lake. The nightly excursion is quite a sight for those who've never seen or smelled a massive bat migration. The election should be just as smelly but not quite as impressive considering the choices.

I think this is a url to a news clip and the reporter's explanation of the events leading up to the Perry 'mofo' gaffe (don't think it requires registration):

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/news/062105_local_govperry.html

a little tongue in cheek remix of the Guv's comment:

http://rickperryremix.ytmnd.com/

Also now picked up by the Wonkette: http://www.wonkette.com/politics/republica...r-a-mofo-109551

Please disregard the pictures of Karl Rove in baby diapers if you're under 18 or have a weak stomach. I had no way to separate the lengthy Wonkete page structure to just show the 'mofo' article.

Perry is less vulnerable than he was before KBHutchinson dropped out of the Governor's race but with statements like these, how long will it be before he makes one with a Clayton Williams rating on the Richter Scale?

Look for BOTH the outspoken Republican Primary candidates to bellow quite frequently in the upcoming campaign. Should be a good one to watch. Kinky should have some good material for his blog site but it is doubtful that material will translate into votes.

Again I think the issue in the Republican primary will Governor Perry himself.

Texas has a growing Hispanic population and now Perry’s foot dragging has, in effect, disenfranchised voters in a heavily Hispanic district.

This doesn’t seem as we say here in Texas “right bright” for a Bush protégé. If the Governor continues to anger voters he may have to hire Karl Rove to rough Strayhorn up like he did John McCain in South Carolina in 2000. If the posssibility of a Rove factor is taken out before 2006, I think Strayhorn has a real shot. In fact, I'm thinking of making a "Democrat for Strayhorn" bumper sticker on the computer.



http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/12206297.htm

Fort Worth Star Telegram article requires free registration.

Can't y'all just feel the love I have for our current governor?

http://www.funnytimes.com/notfunny/20040311MI.html

Although Ivins wrote this in 2003, her words have proved prophetic, more so than perhaps even she anticipated.

Let’s review Governor Rick Perry’s resume for reelection. He called three special sessions to do Tom DeLay’s dirty work in reapportioning Texas’ Congressional districts. Now, he’s called a third special session to fix Texas’ pubic school] finance system before [b]activist judges do it for him.

My political barometer tells me that people are getting fed up. In the interest of fairness, I will say that The Texas Constitution puts Perry in a weak position. Still I think people expect some leadership from the governor. It is true that he did present a plan when he called the second special session in June this year. The Governor’s plan included a .70 cent increase in the states sales tax, making it the highest in the nation. Great, a tax increase that hits the poor and middle class the hardest. This one provision made the Governor’s plan DOA.

Unless Perry is able to get a school plan through the legislature, I think he’s through.

At the height of the Watergate scandal, Nicholas Von Hoffman made the following statement about the soon to depart office Richard Nixon.



http://fullcoverage.yahoo.com/s/ucjk/20050...ywriter/nc:2219

Borrowing from Von Hoffman, Perry seems a “dead mouse on the [Governor’s Mansion’s] kitchen floor."

Now, here’s the latest, and it’s difficult for me, even a skeptic like me, to believe.

On July 21’s the governor called a 2nd this session (and 3rd overall) special session on school finance. A week later the wheels have come off. According to this morning’s Fort Worth Star Telegram:



http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/legislature/12244071.htm

Link requires fre registration.

I really don’t know whether to laugh or cry. It’s like Barnum & Bailey has leased the statehouse. The elephants are in revolt. No longer marching trunk to tail they are wildly stampeding, tripping over themselves and everything else that gets in their way.

I’m utterly shocked that a Governor, who has presided over such a mess, would even consider placing his name on a reelection ballot.

Although Strayhorn is considered a loose cannon by some, she has a real chance. It seems Perry is not only shooting himself in the foot, but trying to blow it off with an assault rifle.

Edited to add:

[school] public school financing to the passage Hugo quoted.

I hate to tell BoF this but Republicans do not hold Perry's assisting Delay against him. I guess if enough Democrats vote in the Republican primary Strayhorn might have a chance. In the absence of a totally uncompetitive Democratic primary case that is unlikely.

I do confess I am totally against government being involved in pubic financing. I do need to familiarize myself with Perry's stand on pubic financing.

I think there are some nominal Repubicans who think Perry erred in calling three special sessions to deal with Tom Delay's shenanigan b-e-f-o-r-e calling even one on school finance.

I hate to tell you this Hugo but regardless of what you think, public education in Texas WILL be funded one way or the other.

You may, however, be right. Perhaps Perry's incompetence may be rewarded with reelection. This would be strange for a party that seems to think everyone else should be rewarded according to performance.

Yes. public education will be financed regardless. It ain't no big issue.The only one who could have beat Perry, in the Republican primary, was Kay. She ain't running.

Now , in the general election I think John Sharp could beat him. I suggest you put your efforts behind Sharp. I voted for Sharp over Perry before. He is the one Democrat in Texas who can win.

The fact is Perry wasn't worth a crap before he won the governorship. The fact he still ain't worth a crap will not influence Republican voters.

Considering that we are waiting for the Texas Supreme Court to either confirm or overturn a lower court that rejected Robin Hood, and that this the third special Perry has called on the matter, I think it is a big deal. It Republicans are truly not interested in public education, it doesn’t say much for them.



Some Democrats may vote for Strayhorn in the Republican Primary and then vote for Sharp, or whoever, in the general election.



http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/state/12253698.htm

Fort Worth Star Telegram link requires registration.

FACT CHECK: Actually Sharp ran against David Dewhurst, for Lt. Governor, not against Perry in 2002. Tony Sanchez was the Democratic nominee. Remember? Did you vote for him, too?

http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/disp...ls_feature.html



Well, finally, we agree on something. I'd give it a slightly different twist though, Perry is a piece of crap.

Perry has also picked up an new Democratic opponent—former Texas Congressman Rick Bell, who filed an ethic complaint against tom DeLay.

Bell, doesn’t have much of a chance, but I love this line:



Same FWST source as above.

BTW: An occasional ain’t is good for emphasis, but it's easily overdone.

FACT CHECK: Actually Sharp ran against David Dewhurst, for Lt. Governor, not against Perry in 2002. Tony Sanchez was the Democratic nominee. Remember? Did you vote for him, too?

I've been a Texan a few years. Do you remember the Lieutenant Governor's race in 1998? Fact: Perry and Sharp opposed each other in 1998.

Lieutenant Governor 1998
Rick Perry REP 1,858,837 50.04%
John Sharp DEM 1,790,106 48.19%
Anthony Garcia LIB 65,150 1.75%


It seems like Perry is making quite an effort to get school financing done. I am sure Texas children will have textbooks this year. If Perry is so weak it seems like the Democrats would prefer to face him over Strayhorn in the general election.

Latest polls

Perry Leads Strayhorn in Texas Primary Poll; Texas Gov. Perry Polling Twice as High as Comptroller

7/12/2005 7:00:00 AM





The power of the incumbancy will get Perry through the primary, against Strayhorn, he is vulnerable in a general election. Particularly if Strayhorn goes negative in the primary.

Yes, Perry and Sharp did face each other in the 1998 Lt. Governor’s race, but we were talking about this in context of the Governor’s race. You need to be more specific and pinpoint your statements.

Sharp may well be the strongest candidate. He has been Comptroller of Public Accounts, but he’s run two successive unsuccessful races for Lt. Governor. If he loses this one he may be the William Jennings Bryant of Texas politics.

The best thing Sharp and other Democrats have going for them in 2006, is the royal mess Republicans have made of nearly everything they’ve touched lately. I'm not going to rehash Republican failures in Texas. I've already done that on other posts in this thread. My vision of Perry is the child sitting in the corner wearing the pointed cap. He, not issues, will be the focus of the 2006 campaigns, both the Republican primary and the general election. I welcome Strayhorn’s opposition. Even if she loses, she gets to portray our "beloved" gov as the buffoon he is and forces him to spend money that might otherwise be spent in the general election.

Again, I don’t see how Perry has the nerve to put his name on a ballot.

Since Perry and Sharp have only opposed each other once, I was being pretty specific when I stated that I had voted for Sharp over Perry. Sorry, I assumed you were aware of the "98 election. Since you argue that the major issue in the campaign will be Rick Perry himself , his potential political opponent's, in this case Sharp, ability to reign in independent and unhappy Republican voters will be key if the Democrats wish to reverse a string of defeats. Yes, Sharp's losses have been part of that string. However, his race against both Perry and Dewhurst were tight. He is the only candidate that can deliver the governorship to the Democrats. I'd be supporting him if I was you.

I realize you are upset at Republican gerrymandering. I got news gerrymandering never draws strong opposition from the primary voters whose party benefits from the gerrymandering.

The fact that Strayhorn was formerly a Democrat ain't going to help her much in the primaries.

Let me quote Strayhorn...from her announcement speech.



I think I know what issues she hopes the primary will revolve around.

- Stance on abortion, be it prolife, partial birth or a woman's right to her body? The issue has been thrust into the spotlight a lot lately and shall make or break a person in a small percentage of the public's eye.

- Flat taxes or modified tax brackets for income shall render a hurdle for the '06 run because taxes were highlighted in the 2,004 presidential run.

- Of course the old standby: who has a better political resume? Like the real estate maxim "location, location, location," all the public wants to know is "background, background, background," of the opponent.


Other issues that might pop up:

- Military expansions/reductions

- Affirmative action

- Drugs and crime reduction

- Education

- Supporting Israel

- Environmental plan

- Views on Civil Liberties

It's not so much the gerrymandering as it is that Perry let Tom DeLay come from Washington and work the actively in the statehouse to produce the map. Perry should have DeLay told to go back to Washington





http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Rick-Perry

Former Senator Phil Gramm and the late former Texas Governor, John Connally were also Democrats who made the split. Republicans turned a deaf ear to both men's presidential aspirations, but I'm not sure that carries over to state politics.

Essentially you have two former Democrats facing each other in the 2006 Republican Primary.

I'm keeping my options open. Any money I donate will be to Democratic candidates. I may vote for Strayhorn in the Republican primary and then switch to the Democrat in the general election.

Edited to add:

In fact, Hugo, Strayhorn has been a Republican about five years longer than Perry.



http://www.answers.com/topic/carole-keeton-strayhorn

I suggest that everyone check out the Rick Perry for governor and Strayhorn for governor websites. What you see is Strayhorn attacking Perry's record and Perry attempting to frame Strayhorn as a wolf in sheep's clothing (a Democrat). If Perry could be accused of being a Democrat my guess is BoF would not be so fervently against him. The fact that many Democrats are siding with Straynor gives credence to Perry's claim that Straynor is a closet Democrat. I don't expect enough Demo's to cross party lines to defeat Perry in the primary.

I mean does anyone seriously believe BoF would be supporting the candidate further away from the standard Democrat positions?

Hugo,

You originally said "formerly a Democrat." As I pointed out, both of them are former Democrats.



Now, you've moved the basket. Are you suggesting that Strayhorn is really a Democrat? This is almost like asking someone who doesn't like soda pop to do a "Coke" vs. "Pepsi" taste test.

Actually, I don't care for either of them, but Perry has proved his uslessness, so we might as well give Strayhorn a chance to do the same.

This is your weakest argument yet on this thread. A candidate's webpage is absolutely the worst place to look for informaion. I haven't looked at either page, but Perry's record, is part of what he will have to run on. There's very little positive in Perry's record, so the smokscreen about Strayhorn's party allegiance is about all the gov has left. Supposition regarding Strayhorn's party loyalty is just that. Is Karl Rove running Perry's campaign?

The candidates web page may not be a great place to look for information...but it is a pretty darn good place to look for what each campaign's issues are. It is quite clear that the Perry campaign will attempt to paint Strayhorn as a trial lawyer lovin' closet Democrat. Perry has the incumbancy edge, and a nearly 2-1 advantage in the latest poll over Strayhorn. The partisan issues that infuriate BoF are simply...partisan issues. Strayhorn has no chance in hades of getting the nomination. The only question is if she will recognize that in time to assist Perry in November.

Of course, Bof gave the standard reference to Rove, as though campaign managers can consistently (in Texas since 1994, I guess) can convince individuals to vote for a platform that is against their best interest.

Hugo,

Actually, Rove’s “work” (I'm trying to playh nice here ) goes back further than 1994. He did, in fact, run Perry's campaign for Agriculture Commissioner in 1990. Perry took office in 1991. I doubt Rove is officially taking clients now that he’s Bush’s Deputy Chief of Staff, but Perry and his team seem to have learned well. The tactics they are using to attack Strayhorn, rather than run on an indefensible record, are sort of Rove trade marks.

Also, Hugo, it appears we are the only two debating this primary, so why are you addressing your remarks to a larger audience, rather than to me personally?



http://www.texasobserver.org/showArticle.asp?ArticleID=398



Again, Hugo, you are talking past me to a wider audience, not debating. As for being partisan, "pot call the kettle black.”

Despite anything, partisan or otherwise, that I've said about Perry, I think the "blue ribbon" still goes to you for this line:



While this is a great descriptive two sentences, it isn't much of an endorsement by a Republican for a fellow Republican's reelecton and it says even less for the intelligence or integrity of potential Texas Republican voters.

Not sure if you can call me partisan when I think the odds are we will both be voting against Perry in 2006. My main point is that Tom Delay, and his shenanigans, is a partisan issue that will not effect the vast majority of those who vote in the Republican primary. That's getting out your base material for the general election.

I'm not exactly a diehard Republican. Certainly far from a straight ticket Republican. I've recently declared myself a Republican because I was tired of the typical nutty Libertarian candidates and found the Liberty Caucus in the Republican Party a group I can work with. Perry is not a very good candidate. Strayhorn is a better candidate. She won't win. The power of the incumbancy will prevail for the nomination. I do think a solid conservative Democrat, with name recognition, can beat Perry in the general election. That is going out on a limb since a Democrat has not won a major statewide office for over a decade. I believe you are the partisan diehard,Bof, not me. I would not vote for a C student who filed for a purple heart after being wounded in the rear end by a grain of rice regardless of party. Sadly, most partisans are...er...partisans. The point is the question in this poll is who will win...the answer is Rick "Not worth a crap" Perry. There aren't 25% of voter, in a typical primary, who don't vote based on blind loyalty or 30 second soundbites.

In a public forum I alwys assume the possibility someone else will join the debate.

Why did Tom DeLay park his hide in the state's legislative chambers when he's elected to represent a Congressional District in Sugar Land. Surely, Perry could have told DeLay to pack up and go back to Washington.



It is good to know that you are not supporting Perry. The equalizer may be that Perry, as far as I can tell, has little positive record of accomplishment, since he entered the Governor's Mansion. Whether you think it is important or not, he still has to deal with public school finance. As of now, that ain't, as you say, going too well. Were still about seven months away fom the primaries and 15 months away from the general elections. At the rate Perry is going, he can still anger a lot of people. Can you (or since you mention it, anyone) honestly tell me something he's done--some overriding accomplishment--that would make him deserving of another term?

My dislike of Perry goes much deeper than just letting Tom DeLay control state politics. It has to do with matters like my health insurance premiums increasing from $168 per month to $280 per month; while my copays have doubled under his watch--more money for less insurance. I can assure you that Perry doesn't have a lot of fans among retired public school teachers. Unfortunately, we don't have a strong lobby.

I really don't like Strayhorn, either. A couple of years ago she tried to lift the tax exempt status of a Unitarian Church, because they didn't have a defined "creed."

Who says a church has to have a creed that suits the Comptroller of Public Accounts. After receiving a lot of flack on the issue--bad press, angry letters and phone calls, including a rather harsh call I made to her Austin office, she dropped the plan.

UPDATE

While you may not think Texas’ public education funding is important Hugo, apparently Governor Rick Perry does think so. He is now willing to compromise, that is, get school funding, but not property tax relief. What really amuses me is that the governor seems to assume that voters will take it out on lawmakers, most of them are Republican, BTW, and not him.

I don’t know if it’s arrogance or ignorance or a combination of both on Perry’s part, but he seems to be saying that he has the same Teflon coating we found in Reagan and now find in Bush. I’m reminded of the thing about "pride goes before a fall." Whether it happens in 2006 or later, the gov is in for a hard fall.



http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/legislature/12277601.htm

Link requires registration.

UPDATE:



http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/state/12504645.htm

Fort Worth Star Telegram link requires registration.

After one failed regular legislative session and two failed special sessions it appears Gov. Rick Perry has a tiger by the tail. Even if he wins the Republican primary, it’s heartening to know that he’s going to have to spend a substantial portion of his war chest just to win his own party’s primary, meaning less to spend against a Democratic challenger.

Further, Strayhorn is going to spend a large chunk of change trying to defeat Perry. Ah, Republicans devouring Republicans. To echo Jackie Gleason, "how sweet it is."

This couldn’t happen to a “nicer” guy.

Haven't seen any poll numbers as of late, but I found that according to the Daily Kos, Perrry went from a negative 17 rating to a positive 3 in dealing with the Hurricanes. Not certain how this will work for him against his primary foe, but it will be interesting to see.

The bad news is, that Perry did gain points by his handeling of hurricane rita.

More bad news is that Perry seemingly bought off strongest possible Democratic opponent John Sharp by appointing him to a panel on state taxation. I saw an article in the paper a month ago that said Sharp would not run.

I found this appointment on Democratic challenger Chris Bell’s webpage.

http://www.chrisbell.com/

Remember Bell is a former Texas Congressman who filed an ethics complaint against Tom DeLay.

The good news is that Perry still has not come up with an education proposal that his fellow Republicans will sign onto. In fact, in today’s edition, The Fort worth Star Telegram wrote one of the most scathing indictments of Perry that I have ever seen in my hometown paper.



http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/editorial/12976931.htm

The possible good news is that Perry still has time to mess us, particularly with education funding. Although I suspect he will beat Strayhorn in the Republican primary, I hope she runs a sufficient race to drain Perry’s sizeable war chest.

Hopefully by then Bell or some other Democrat will have a chance to beat him.

Visited Strayhorn's campaign website. There is some Texas spice in this campaign!. Politicians slam their opponents, but calling someone a "do nothin' drug store cowboy" is fightin' words. On a more serious note, education does seem to be a big issue with Strayhorn.

Change is in the wind. I know personally that my father-in-law, my father, my mother, and it seems all the distant relatives (all die hard republicans) are so upset with Perry and his poor decisions that they just want to see him out, that is coming from someone who has an elected official as a relative. And we are talking about good ol' west Texas boys. Perry has lost touch with his base supporters, there is no denying that. It's just nice to be on the same side as my family for once since most of the time I am criticized for being too liberal.

This thread is probably obsolete.

Strayhorn has decided to run an an independent and is busy collecting signatures to get on the ballot. As of now it looks like the candidates will be Perry, Strayhorn, Freeman and one of two Democrats.

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/13538311.htm

Link may require registration.