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"Mali national arraigned in 2000 killing of American diplomat in Niger" 


Dewhurst leads well; Perry's at 0 Thursday, April 10, 2003 Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst seems to be getting good advice and following it. Gov. Rick Perry seems to be getting bad advice and following it. Same for House Speaker Tom Craddick. As land commissioner, Dewhurst was widely regarded around the Capitol as a rich doofus from Houston who'd bought his way into statewide office. Few thought he would become the most forward-thinking Republican leader in the building. But since becoming presiding officer of the Senate, Dewhurst has gotten to know well the senators and the state's budget. Although sharing Perry...

After he lost the lieutenant governor's race four years ago to Republican Rick Perry, Democrat John Sharp said Texas wasn't a Republican state, just a Bush state. Even with George W. Bush coasting to re-election, Sharp came within 2 percentage points of winning. This year, Bush closed a 15-day national campaign tour in Texas, and Republicans urged a straight-ticket vote to help the president. Bush might as well have been on the ballot, judging from Tuesday's results. After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Bush's popularity skyrocketed. It remained high even as Democrats pointed out that the economy was sputtering. Meanwhile,...

Dave NcNeely is a columnist for the Austin American Statesman (Cox Newspaper). His latest column contends that a victory by Ron Kirk in the U.S. Senate race on Nov. 5 will bring Texas into play (like FL) in the 2004 presidential election. McNeely, considered on the liberal spectrum among Texas political reporters, also thinks Kirk could be a "potential member of a future Democratic ticket, because of his (African American) race, and because if he gets elected, he will be seen as a moderate, not a member of the left wing of the Democratic party." McNeely notes that Texas has...