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June 15, 2005
Let the Fun Begin
This morning, via Quorum Report, comes word that State Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn will announce her candidacy for Governor this weekend, challenging incumbent Rick Perry in the GOP primary.
Victory for Strayhorn -- a moderate and a former Democrat -- in a low-voting Republican primary dominated by ideological conservatives is not likely, but we expect "one tough grandma" to give Perry -- another former Democrat -- plenty of whacks with her cane. She would almost certainly weaken him for the general election.
The elephant in the room (no pun intended), of course, is U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison. Strayhorn's entry into the race puts pressure on the Senator to make a decision regarding her own intentions, since she is widely rumored to throw her hat in the ring against Perry as well.
Hutchison has a real shot at beating Perry -- she is the most popular politician in the state -- but two moderate women in the race is one too many. Hutchison apparently wanted to wait and see what happens with public school finance before making a decision, but Strayhorn's announcement makes that strategy more risky.
One question mark concerning Hutchison, who has never had to run a tough race, is can she take a punch? The Perry folks are wasting no time finding out. Check out this story in today's Chronicle. It looks like it came straight out of the Perry campaign opposition research office.
We suspect it's the first light slap in what will be a bruising flurry of punches to knock Kay Bailey Hutchison out of the race before she ever gets in. Get a ringside seat to this one -- it's going to be fun.
Posted by houtopia at June 15, 2005 09:48 AM