Posted on 12/12/2004 7:28:40 AM PST by Theodore R.
Hutchison holds tense meeting with Perry supporters in El Paso
EL PASO (AP) — U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison reacted angrily recently after several El Paso business leaders suggested that she not challenge Gov. Rick Perry in 2006 because their large campaign contributions to state leaders have increased the city's influence in Austin.
During the private luncheon last week, Hutchison, R-Texas, was asked to instead run for re-election for the Senate. She responded by denouncing the role large contributions play in state government, some of those attending said.
The meeting was organized as a briefing by the senator on various issues, but several Perry supporters turned the conversation to the upcoming gubernatorial election.
Many of those at the meeting agreed the discussion got severely strained after some of the business leaders mentioned their large contributions to Perry, also a Republican. Hutchison has said she hasn't decided whether to run in 2006.
El Paso businessman Woody Hunt said he reminded the senator that El Paso had not fully participated in state politics in the past and has long been neglected. He and others decided to open up their checkbooks and become players.
"We need to be better connected to the state. We need to be able to have access. We need to be able to communicate," said Hunt, who's donated almost $200,000 to Perry in the past four years, campaign finance records show.
El Paso businessman Ted Houghton, said he didn't expect Hutchison to react the way she did.
"That's when the meeting fell apart, unfortunately. Our point was, we like what we have for El Paso and we like what we have for the state of Texas," he said.
The senator's spokesman, Dave Beckwith, said Hutchison reacted to Perry supporters specifically touting the accomplishments produced after significantly stepping up their political contributions.
"Senator Hutchison is appalled that people are being strong-armed, feel they have to hand over huge contributions in order to be heard in the state's political process," Beckwith said Friday.
"What she's been hearing around the state is encouragement — to provide the leadership to clean up that system."
That response from Hutchison's office brought a quick response from Perry's campaign.
"Others can deal in the Washington-style politics of personal destruction and blind ambition to do what is best for themselves, but Governor Perry will continue to be a strong, ethical and effective leader for El Paso and Texas as a whole," said Luis Saenz, Perry's campaign director.
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Information from: El Paso Times, http://www.elpasotimes.com
? What are your sources? Perry like Clinton? Keep the discussion to truth and not innuendo. If you think it is truth, prove why you think so.
KBH is pro choice on abortion and she has been trying to obfuscate her liberal positions to the pro life community. I have one very good source that had a "run in" with her staff over Roe v Wade. She doesn't like people telling the raw truth over her voting record. Her public demeanor is lady like, gracious, feminine and all that but she shares John Kerry's attitude at being confronted with the consequences of your actions. However, she has been very popular in Texas senatorial elections and we will see. It seems to me that as governor, she would be more like Ma Richards but with a pretty face, fashionable style and better spoken.
Tell us what you know and how you know! Why wait until election time?
Do you know first hand or are you one of the rumor spreaders from back in the spring that dropped the juicy tidbit questioning Perry's sexual orientation? The Pony Express on that one carried news quickly through a Democrat website at UT. Probably turned out to be a trial balloon from Strayhorn's staff. If you have facts, out with them!
Perry has enemies because of things he has done, like re-districting, that would be enough of a reason for GWB to keep his distance. I know personally that a lot of people in my part of Texas are very unhappy with Perry because they lost thier beloved Stenholm. They thought they could have Nuegebaur(sp?) and Stenholm were it not for re-districting. So you haven't convinced me. I am waiting to be convinced. I will not believe rumors and accusations which account to cheap political tricks. I will believe facts.
What kind of a tag line "Nuke the Unborn Gay Whales"? I don't believe you are who you claim to be. You are either a dem or work for KBH or KS.
I wondered whatever became of that absurd proposal. Thanks. That was something the Harris County Commissioners or Metro folks ginned up rather than Perry wasn't it?
It was Speaker Craddick who pushed to put Stenholm and Neugebauer in the same district. Politicians in Abilene and Lubbock (particularly Senator Robert Duncan) had objected to the consolidation finally approved.
like your other Moniker...
however, to be more offensive use.
"Nuke the unborn gay whales for Jesus"
you left a bit out....
I've actually seen the t-shirt..
People are blaming Rick Perry. I personally think Perry has done several things that don't fit for a politician seeking re-election. He has angered people but I like that he has done something.
Strayhorn is an obnoxious and obvious publicity whore. Her battle ax voice rivals the whiskey soaked croak of Ann Richards. Please spare us from listening to her ....
In other words, this group had already bought their way into Perry's pocket and they don't want to have to do it again with somebody else. Screw that. Run Kay Run!
Hutchison hands down. Perry, aka RINO Rick, is the real RINO in this race. His governorship has been an unmitigated disaster. Every GOP legislative victory under his tenure has been accomplished by somebody else and in spite of him.
He's also loaded our judiciary with ex Democrat good ole boys who line his pockets with campaign cash. There's an informal rotating appointment system in the governor's office where judges quietly resign at timely intervals as the end of their terms near. RINO Rick comes along and appoints some junior partner from one of his crony law firms as their replacement, and ta-da! Instant incumbency before the next primary so its damn near impossible to unseat the guy with a candidate of our own choice in the next GOP primary.
We've had a couple wins. In 2002 we unseated RINO Rick's pick for Supreme Court - Xavier Rodriguez, aka the David Souter of the Texas Supreme Court per his own admission. Two years later RINO Rick dumps hundreds of thousands of dollars into the campaign of a hand picked, hand recruited challenger to reclaim the seat and narrowly pulls it off.
The guy is like a Republican Bill Clinton, only not as smart. He's slick though, and petty, and a control freak, and vindictive, and loaded down with crony connections that he grants favors through government - hence this article right here, which is basically about a bunch of Perry cronies telling Hutchison that they've already bought out RINO Rick and don't want to start over from scratch.
I agree completely. I'd give my vote to Kinky Friedman, who is supposedly running as an independent, before Rick "Hate Crimes, Cronyism, and Democrat Judges" Perry if he gets the nomination.
Yeah. And he dials that number up every couple of weeks saying "Hey, I got a new district judge seat that opened up and noticed your firm gives me campaign money. You want it?"
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