GOP titans square off in Texas gubernatorial race
Posted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 4:05 pm
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Gov. Rick Perry sought the GOP nomination for an unprecedented third four-year term Tuesday in a battle against another Republican heavyweight, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, and a third candidate drawing support from the state's tea party movement.
Angry protest voters backing conservative activist Debra Medina could force the governor and Hutchison into an April 13 runoff election, if no candidate gets a majority.
The courtly Hutchison was once seen as the candidate who could hand Perry the first loss of his long political career, but the governor, a darling of social conservatives, emerged as the front-runner.
Perry painted the senator as too entrenched in Washington politics — something Hutchison acknowledged worked against her in the current environment.
The GOP winner will face the Democratic nominee in November. Former Houston Mayor Bill White was favored in the Democratic primary over Houston hair care magnate Farouk Shami and five others.
Perry and Hutchison competed to show just how Texan they are: They donned cowboy hats and Western wear and declared their devotion to the Lone Star State.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100302/ap_ ... as_primary" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Angry protest voters backing conservative activist Debra Medina could force the governor and Hutchison into an April 13 runoff election, if no candidate gets a majority.
The courtly Hutchison was once seen as the candidate who could hand Perry the first loss of his long political career, but the governor, a darling of social conservatives, emerged as the front-runner.
Perry painted the senator as too entrenched in Washington politics — something Hutchison acknowledged worked against her in the current environment.
The GOP winner will face the Democratic nominee in November. Former Houston Mayor Bill White was favored in the Democratic primary over Houston hair care magnate Farouk Shami and five others.
Perry and Hutchison competed to show just how Texan they are: They donned cowboy hats and Western wear and declared their devotion to the Lone Star State.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100302/ap_ ... as_primary" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
