An homage to states' rights, a fleeting reference to secession and a private gathering with evangelicals place Texas Gov. Rick Perry at the far right edge of the Republican Party.
And it seems that's exactly where he wants to be.
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.
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Hutchison has considered running against Perry twice before, but didn't. In 2006, Perry warned that if Hutchison entered it would be a bruising, divisive race. This time she says she won't be dissuaded.
Another Republican who sized up Perry and opted not to run against him in a GOP primary is former Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn, who ran instead — and lost — as an independent in 2006.
"I'll give the governor credit — he and his team know how to win elections," Sanders said. "Whip up the right and you don't have to worry about anything else."
What do you think, is Rick suddenly running right, or does he merely seem more right wing these days compared to the more moderate Kay? KBMT has more details (link). Excerpt follows...Whoever survives is favored to win the November general election in 2010 because Texas is reliably a Republican state.
Hutchison's camp says there is still a long ways to go -- and many issues to explore -- before the 2010 vote.
Either Rick or Kay would win in a general election, which is why only second tier candidates have thus far stepped forward for the Democrats. For Republican primary voters, then, there's less calculation about who is more electable. McCain was "electable." Arlen Specter was "electable." Joe Straus was "electable" (link). None of them were the real favorite of the party faithful, all three are or have been darlings of the liberal media, but hey they were electable.
Both Rick and Kay are electable, so there's no holding your nose and voting for the "person with the best chance in November," it's really just a matter of who the GOP primary voters choose.
Kay might be warming up to the demographics of Republican primary voters, if her latest gas tax bill is any indication (link). Namely, she is throwing a bone to the states' rights conservatives with her latest effort. Excerpt follows...
About 30 "donor" states send more gasoline tax revenue to Washington than they receive for road projects. Texas receives about 92 cents per $1 in fuel tax paid by drivers in the state. Lawmakers in both parties have long demanded a bigger share, and Hutchison aides note that it was closer to 72 cents when she became a senator 15 years ago. With Hutchison trying to topple Gov. Rick Perry in next year's Republican primary, the proposal positions her as a states' rights advocate against a rival whose sympathy for pushing back against the federal government has won conservative hearts lately. And it could help defuse Perry's long-standing criticism that she hasn't been effective enough at bringing home federal money, though her aides deny any such motives.
Will she actually get it passed is another issue entirely.
The liberal Pete's Place blogs that Kay's move is just cynical political posturing (link). Excerpt follows...
But, like I said, earlier, this legislation is not about solving Texas' transportation woes -- it's about positioning Sen. Hutchison against criticism from her probable GOP gubernatorial foe, Gov. Hair, who has accused the state's senior senator of not looking out for the best interests of Texas (as though Gov. Hair had looked out for the interests of anyone but the rich fringe right wing of the Republican Party).
Eye on Williamson, another liberal blog that frequently attacks Rick, goes after Kay on this one (link). Excerpts follow...
In the full article, (linked above), it becomes apparent that this is little more than a political ploy, that’s almost guaranteed not to pass and wouldn’t fix the problem of neglect of our transportation infrastructure. It probably won’t gain her much, if any support, from the far-right in Texas either.
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It doubtful Sen. Hutchison can out “wing-nut” Perry, not sure why she’s even trying.
Kay may have noticed that Rick is driving hard for what the liberals call the "wing-nut" wing of the GOP and decided it is time to throw those crazy people a bone.
This primary may drive both Rick and Kay toward the right, which to me is not a terrible thing. Competition makes Republicans stronger, and it should weed out the Arlen Specters from the party from here on out.
two facts that even this kay slant rag (not sure rag fits a blog but never the less) your a freaking shill for sandwich tossers every where.
ReplyDelete1)Cal Jillson told the dallas bar this week that Perry would pound kay in a primary and the dems could not win statewide govenorship I guess no one asked him about those comments.
2) Kay has lost TX billions on her faliure to get TX gas taxes back from the fed. 18 years of weakness and failure. name one thing she had sponsered and passed into law while in the leadership of the senate?