Texas Polotics - Strayhorn announces candidacy for governor

AP via San Antonio Expess News ^ | 6/18/05 | Natalie Gott

[Cat loving Texan]

Strayhorn announces candidacy for governor

06/18/2005

By NATALIE GOTT / Associated Press

Carole Keeton Strayhorn, the fast-talking state comptroller who makes sport of chastising Republican Gov. Rick Perry, said Saturday she would challenge the governor in next year's GOP primary.

"Now is time to replace this do-nothin' drugstore cowboy with one tough grandma," Strayhorn, 65, told hundreds of cheering supporters at a block party near the state Capitol.

Strayhorn's announcement came shortly after Perry vetoed education funding from the state budget bill, and called lawmakers back to Austin for a special session on school finance.

She took the opportunity to launch another verbal torpedo at Perry. Known for her rapid-fire speech and sharp tongue, Strayhorn has spent the past year attacking Perry's leadership and policies.

"A leader does not hold our children's education hostage and certainly would never even allow a discussion about school not opening on time because he cannot fix what is broken," she said.

Perry spokesman Luis Saenz said Strayhorn's announcement that she is running for governor should not come as a surprise since "she has been doing that for the last two years as she neglected her duties as comptroller."

"This primary will offer clear differences between the strong, principled conservative leadership we have today, and the big spending, Democrat agenda the comptroller has pushed on behalf of her special interest backers," Saenz said.

Strayhorn enters the race with one less strong opponent, U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. The senator late Friday issued a surprising statement saying she was running for re-election to the Senate.

For months, Hutchison had been testing the waters for a run against Perry, which would have made for an expensive, contentious three-way battle for the GOP nomination, opened a senate seat, and set off a political domino game in Texas.

Strayhorn was elected comptroller — the state's chief financial officer — in 1998, when she was still known by the last name Rylander, the name of her second husband. In January 2003 she married her high school sweetheart Ed Strayhorn.

She became the first woman elected Texas comptroller after serving on the three-person Texas Railroad Commission, a statewide-elected post. Before that, the former Democrat served nonpartisan posts on the Austin school board and three terms as Austin mayor before switching parties.

Strayhorn said her late father, Page Keeton, the longtime dean of the University of Texas law school, instilled in her the importance of public education, and she passed that on to her children.

Two of her four sons serve in President George W. Bush's administration. Scott McClellan is White House press secretary, and Dr. Mark McClellan is administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services. One of her sons, Brad, will serve as her campaign manager. The other son, Dudley, is assistant general counsel for the State Bar of Texas.

Strayhorn also has five granddaughters.

"I want my legacy to be that with every breath of air in Carole Keeton Strayhorn's lungs, she fought passionately for education, she fought passionately for paychecks and jobs and she fought passionately for protecting our most precious resource, our children," Strayhorn said, with the Capitol dome in the background.

As she spoke, the crowd broke out in repeated applause. One woman brought her horse to the event to show her appreciation for Strayhorn's support on agricultural and horse issues. Another woman held a sign "Texas needs one tough grandma."

"She's great and I think she'll do a great job for all Texans," said Beki Halpin, 56, of Austin.

Throughout much of her speech, Strayhorn denounced Perry. Among her chief criticisms of Perry have been over his policies regarding state health care cuts and education.

The catalyst for their clash, she has said, came when Perry, in the final days of the 2003 legislative session, cut funding for her plan to provide free community college education to high school graduates. Perry's office has disputed her account, saying the governor worked to pass a version of the program. The Legislature rejected Strayhorn's proposal.

After that, Strayhorn refused to certify the state budget until Perry vetoed certain items.

Lawmakers then stripped Strayhorn's agency of two prominent duties: government efficiency recommendations and school performance reviews. She claims the governor's office prompted the lawmakers to make the changes, an allegation the governor denies.

Perry, who typically avoids returning Strayhorn's political volleys, seeks his second full term. He became governor in 2000, after Bush resigned to become president. He was elected to a full four-year term in 2002 in one of Texas' most expensive elections. Perry, 55, defeated Democrat millionaire Tony Sanchez, who spent close to $70 million, while Perry's campaign spent $26 million.

While no Democrat has formally announced intentions to run, former U.S. Rep. Chris Bell of Houston has said he is considering a bid. Musician and author Kinky Friedman is running as an independent.

In a statement Saturday, Bell said Strayhorn's announcement brings Texas one step closer to electing a Democratic governor in Texas.

___

On the Web:

http://www.window.state.tx.us

http://www.rickperry.org

[ken21]

we need competition.

strayhorn's going to push perry on his crooked toll road deal.

the state of colorado looked at perry's toll roads and rejected them.

[sinkspur]

strayhorn's going to push perry on his crooked toll road deal.

Strayhorn is clueless. All she does is bellyache; she has no solutions to the state's problems.

Perry will wipe the floor with Ma Strayhorn in next year's primary.

[Judge Roy]

Strayhorn is not a team player and is just a Demo trying to get somewhere on the on the Repub ticket, a trouble maker in general.

[solo gringo]

Just wondering if she will have the same name all the way through the election ?.

[ken21]

the toll roads are my issue.

perry's cintra give away will become a mainstay of strayhorn's campaign.

perry's toll roads need to aired in public.

[sinkspur]

perry's cintra give away will become a mainstay of strayhorn's campaign.

It's a private deal; the only ones griping are the small towns that this toll road will bypass.

Texans are concerned about education and property taxes. They could care less about a privately-funded toll road.

[ken21]

after you find out how many billions of dollars will go to cintra you will become concerned.

cintra has a bad record in canada and california.

in the latter they were charging 80-90 cents per mile during rush hours on the 91 toll. (later the toll was purchased from them.)

at least now there's going to be some public discussion of perry's secret deal.

[darth]

Right on! Strayhorn is an opportunist dim who switched parties to win statewide office. Not a team player, indeed.

[samantha]

Which one of her ex-husbands came out with the Kennedy Assassination theory? I guess it was McCLellan. She sounds like a Texas looney talking crazy and boisterous and vindictive. Scott seems wimpy,probably never got a word in edgewise with Mama raving on. Is she a real Republican or just because the power is with the Texas GOP?

[Jedidah]

"Texans . . . could care less about a privately-funded toll road."

Speak for yourself, sir. I care, and I care greatly, both about property taxes and about the Trans-Texas Corridor outrage. After voting twice for Rick Perry, my vote is very much up for grabs.

[deport]

From the American Statesman...

As expected, Strayhorn announces for governor

Comptroller vows to topple 'do nothin' drugstore cowboy'

By W. Gardner Selby
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Saturday, June 18, 2005

Carole Keeton Strayhorn withstood mid-day heat today to declare her candidacy for governor, promising a white-hot campaign against Gov. Rick Perry leading to the March 7 Republican primary.

With the north entrance of the Capitol as a backdrop, Strayhorn spoke from a platform placed on Congress Avenue, saying: "Now is the time to replace this do nothin' drugstore cowboy with one tough grandma.

Harry Cabluck/ASSOCIATED PRESS

(enlarge photo)

Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn announces that she will seek the Republican nomination for Texas governor during a political rally outside the Capitol on Saturday.

 MORE ON THIS STORY

 

• Complete Legislature coverage

"Rick Perry has promised any challenger in his own words, and I quote, 'A bloody brutal campaign.' If that is the campaign he promises to wage, bring it on."

The second-term state comptroller, joined by her husband, Eddie, and family members, confirmed expectations with her declaration in front of some 500 cheering supporters. It came 18 hours after U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison released a statement revealing her intentions to seek re-election to the Senate rather than attempt a run for governor.

Strayhorn, 65, used her early political career in Austin — she was mayor and school board president — to climb to statewide office. Her political career has dipped and turned since she left the Texas Democratic Party to become a Republican in time to lose a U.S. House bid to Rep. J.J. "Jake" Pickle of Austin in 1986. The crowd observed a moment of silence as Pickle's death earlier today was announced.

Strayhorn subsequently lost to Barry Williamson, then of Dallas, in the 1992 GOP primary for the Texas Railroad Commission.

But the one-time schoolteacher whose father, Page Keeton, was the celebrated dean of the University of Texas School of Law, bounced back.

In 1998, the year Republicans took hold of all 29 statewide elected positions, Strayhorn narrowly bested Democratic nominee Paul Hobby of Houston to become comptroller. In her re-election bid four years later, she out-drew every other statewide candidate, winning 2.9 million votes to swamp Democratic challenger Marty Akins of Marble Falls.

If elected, Strayhorn would become the third woman to become governor. Miriam "Ma" Ferguson won two-year terms in 1924 and 1932, and Ann Richards, the former Travis County commissioner and state treasurer, served one term before losing re-election to George W. Bush in 1994.

Strayhorn will be trying to deny Perry a record 10 years as governor.

Perry had scheduled a press conference shortly before Strayhorn's, where he announced he was vetoing the public school finance budget and calling the Legislature back for a special session to address the issue. Asked about Strayhorn before her announcement, Perry said, "politics is just white noise in the background" of his call for a special session.

From the American Statesman...

As expected, Strayhorn announces for governor

Comptroller vows to topple 'do nothin' drugstore cowboy'

By W. Gardner Selby
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Saturday, June 18, 2005

Carole Keeton Strayhorn withstood mid-day heat today to declare her candidacy for governor, promising a white-hot campaign against Gov. Rick Perry leading to the March 7 Republican primary.

With the north entrance of the Capitol as a backdrop, Strayhorn spoke from a platform placed on Congress Avenue, saying: "Now is the time to replace this do nothin' drugstore cowboy with one tough grandma.

Harry Cabluck/ASSOCIATED PRESS

(enlarge photo)

Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn announces that she will seek the Republican nomination for Texas governor during a political rally outside the Capitol on Saturday.

 MORE ON THIS STORY

 

• Complete Legislature coverage

"Rick Perry has promised any challenger in his own words, and I quote, 'A bloody brutal campaign.' If that is the campaign he promises to wage, bring it on."

The second-term state comptroller, joined by her husband, Eddie, and family members, confirmed expectations with her declaration in front of some 500 cheering supporters. It came 18 hours after U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison released a statement revealing her intentions to seek re-election to the Senate rather than attempt a run for governor.

Strayhorn, 65, used her early political career in Austin — she was mayor and school board president — to climb to statewide office. Her political career has dipped and turned since she left the Texas Democratic Party to become a Republican in time to lose a U.S. House bid to Rep. J.J. "Jake" Pickle of Austin in 1986. The crowd observed a moment of silence as Pickle's death earlier today was announced.

Strayhorn subsequently lost to Barry Williamson, then of Dallas, in the 1992 GOP primary for the Texas Railroad Commission.

But the one-time schoolteacher whose father, Page Keeton, was the celebrated dean of the University of Texas School of Law, bounced back.

In 1998, the year Republicans took hold of all 29 statewide elected positions, Strayhorn narrowly bested Democratic nominee Paul Hobby of Houston to become comptroller. In her re-election bid four years later, she out-drew every other statewide candidate, winning 2.9 million votes to swamp Democratic challenger Marty Akins of Marble Falls.

If elected, Strayhorn would become the third woman to become governor. Miriam "Ma" Ferguson won two-year terms in 1924 and 1932, and Ann Richards, the former Travis County commissioner and state treasurer, served one term before losing re-election to George W. Bush in 1994.

Strayhorn will be trying to deny Perry a record 10 years as governor.

Perry had scheduled a press conference shortly before Strayhorn's, where he announced he was vetoing the public school finance budget and calling the Legislature back for a special session to address the issue. Asked about Strayhorn before her announcement, Perry said, "politics is just white noise in the background" of his call for a special session.

[AzaleaCity5691]

In the late 1890's, early 1900's, many previous Scalawag Republicans, as well as Populists suddenly realized that they had been Democrats all along.

It was their conversions that helped set in one-party rule.

The goal of the Texas GOP should be the same as the rest of the GOP in the South, establishment of a true, Republican, One Party Solid South

[harpu]

"we need competition...strayhorn's going to push perry on his crooked toll road deal."

What do you mean 'we', you're flying a Kalifornia flag in your profile. Go home and worry about what Arnold is NOT doing for his electorate.

[IronMan04]

Right on! Strayhorn is an opportunist dim who switched parties to win statewide office. Not a team player, indeed.

Right on! Perry is an opportunist dim who switched parties to win statewide office. Not a team player, indeed.

[Endeavor]

Why doesn't she include "McClellan" in her list of last names?

[deport]

Why doesn't she include "McClellan" in her list of last names?

---

I have no idea...... She has dropped both McClellan and Rylander and uses her maiden name Keeton plus her current husband's name Strayhorn.... Guess she didn't feel it necessary to continue to use ex husbands names.... just a guess on my part.

[darth]

Touche! OK, Perry is not my favorite either, but I never liked Strayhorn. My pick would be another former Democrat, Phil Gram. I love that guy.

[zeaal]

The main road our city HAS to use to come and go is being turned into a toll road. I believe it is estimated to be .15 per mile to use. TX State Hwy 121.

[RichardW]

A choice between dumb and dumber. I'm voting for Kinky Friedman. He put it correctly when he said the state legislature was composed of a bunch of midgets noting that Texas has a higher capitol building than the U.S. capitol building.

The state property taxes are absurd as is the sales taxes. We need a state income tax to fix this problem. I paid less total taxes in Missouri than I do in Texas and my insurance costs were half there as well.