What hurts is that there are four candidates, so Rick Perry will probably end up winning with about a third of the vote. I could be wrong, but I don't think Texas has the same system my state of Georgia has, that if no candidate finishes with a majority (50%+1) that the top two vote-getters compete again in a run-off. The run-off here is on December 10 I think.
If it was just Perry and one other, he and his land grab, foreign enriching toll road for illegals, NAFTA products and future road of the north American union would be easily rejected.
Unfortunately in this case, in Texas it only takes a plurality to win the General election.