Kay did not score a necessary big blow against Rick...

With only two 1 hour long debates that are currently scheduled and a high unlikelihood that the two camps will agree on other debates... Kay needed a game changing debate to catch up with Rick.

She did not score that game changing debate she needed... Medina was in some ways the winner of the debate in that she did not delve into her Alex Jones conspiracy theories despite being a guest of his on the radio... she came off as confident and calm and other than her errors on the drug question and her grating delivery she did quite well...

Well enough to force a run off? Probably not...

Medina won't be in the second and final debate, and she has enough money for maybe one television ad state wide for 30 seconds during a Cowboy play off game... the debate was the most free advertising she will get the entire campaign and she made the most of it... but it still will not be enough...

Wayne Slater has some similar thoughts on the debate performances and came to the conclusion that Kay's ammo faltered in the debate last night (link). Excerpt follows...

But for the voters she needs – the conservative, small-government, anti-abortion party activists who will dominate turnout in March – the reason to pick her seemed a less convincing case.

No issue animates social conservatives like abortion. And for anti-abortion forces in the GOP, Hutchison's views on that always have been a problem.

When a panelist asked Hutchison about her vote against overturning the Roe vs. Wade court decision legalizing abortion, Hutchison rolled out her conservative credentials.

"My record is one always coming down on the side of life," she said. "If I'm governor of Texas, I will do everything I can to lower the number of abortions in this state."

She was asked again: Should the Supreme Court decision be overturned. Yes or no?

Hutchison warned that to do so might actually increase abortions by sending the issue to the states, some of which might pursue a liberal course.

"I'm concerned about having abortion havens all over the country," she said.

The answer – nuanced and reasoned – probably isn't what many in the GOP primary electorate wanted to hear. And those are the voters she, Perry and Debra Medina will be vying for in the primary.

Kay did okay. Rick did pretty well. Medina did well. I think Rick ventured into that frat boy attitude a little bit much for some people... Kay just looked weak at times except in her closing remarks when she had some fire in her... and Medina's voice turned a lot of people off...

On the issues Rick had trouble with the jobs numbers which ironically should be his strength, Kay seemed pro choice and pro bailout which were both huge blunders... and Medina stayed pretty level headed except for that drug legalization question and answer... she was not sure how to answer that obviously...

Kay never landed a big upper cut... Rick landed a lot of tough punches especially on sanctuary cities and bailouts but maybe no upper cut per se... and Medina sort of tried to play the card of the above the fray candidate...

I anticipate polls in the next two weeks from Texas Tribune and Rasmussen... maybe we will be treated to more internal polls too... and maybe more polls like the one out of the congressional race in West Texas showing Rick up by 19 in that district...