State [TX] GOP chair resigns to work for Perry & other news

American Statesman - others ^ | 9-26-09 | Jason Embry .. others

[deport]

State GOP chair resigns to work for Perry

By Jason Embry | Saturday, September 26, 2009, 01:35 PM

Tina Benkiser will leave her post as chairwoman of the Texas Republican Party next month so she can join Gov. Rick Perry’s campaign as a senior adviser.

In announcing her move, Benkiser called Perry the “only true conservative” in the race — a clear shot at U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, who is challenging Perry for the Republican nomination.

While the move was unexpected, it makes sense that Benkiser would back Perry. She comes straight from the social conservative base that Perry is counting on to help him win another term..... [end snips].....

------------------ Other Texas Governor's Race News------------------

Perry campaign hires Austin’s LatinWorks

By Corrie MacLaggan | Friday, September 25, 2009, 10:19 AM, American Statesman

Gov. Rick Perry’s campaign has hired the Hispanic advertising agency LatinWorks, campaign spokesman Mark Miner said.

The Austin company will be “helping on a number of message delivery issues, including Hispanic outreach,” Miner said.

Miner said LatinWorks has not done work for Perry’s campaigns in the past but that the governor “has known Manny (Flores, LatinWorks’ CEO) for some time.”

Miner declined to describe the Republican governor’s plans for reaching Hispanic voters.

“We are going to be doing some specific campaign-related measures we’re not ready to announce yet as far as reaching the Hispanic community,” he said. “Issue-wise, we’re talking about the same issues that affect all Texans — jobs, the economy, education.”

Two out of three Hispanic voters vote for Democrats, said Jerry Polinard, a political scientist at the University of Texas - Pan American.

...... [end snips]....

Governor’s race is dividing local, state GOP - Jan Jarboe Russell, MYSantonio.com

For the last 20 years, Texas Republicans have adhered to former President Ronald Reagan's 11th Commandment, issued when he ran for governor of California in 1966: Thou shalt not speak ill of another Republican.

Well, as the fight fest in the gubernatorial battle between Gov. Rick Perry and U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison makes plain, they are now so over it. Perry calls Hutchison “Kay Bailout” and Hutchison calls Perry “Tricky Ricky.”

Thismano a mano combat is unusual. Hutchison has been in the U.S. Senate for 16 years and Perry's been governor 10 years, although I realize that to some of us of more progressive persuasion, it seems much longer. The point is neither has ever faced a serious primary challenge — until now.

Consider what's happening in San Antonio.

On one side, Perry has deep-pocket support from B.J. “Red” McCombs, developer Gene Powell and Clear Channel Communications founder Lowry Mays. Hutchison has GM chairman Edward Whitacre Jr., construction magnate Bartel Zachry and La Quinta founder Sam Barshop. That's a lot of financial firepower divided between Republicans instead of aimed against Democrats in 2010.

Perry's local support is managed by Perry's political appointees. Powell is a UT regent; Hope Andrade is secretary of state; and Rolando Pablos is chairman of the Texas Racing Commission.

Appointments carry backlash. Local supporters also have been drawn in to charges that Perry has politicized higher education — three former UT regents said Perry lobbied them to support former state Sen. John Montford as the next UT chancellor instead of Francisco Cigarroa.

Other Republican players support Hutchison because she protected San Antonio during the 2005 round of base closings and has delivered new military jobs, such as the new military medical training center at Fort Sam Houston.

Meanwhile, most local Republican elected officials — such as House Speaker Joe Straus, state Sen. Jeff Wentworth and U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith — are staying neutral. A few have joined the fray: District Attorney Susan Reed has endorsed Hutchison, and state Rep. Frank Corte, a social conservative, has endorsed Perry.

..... [end snips].......

[deport]

And the beat goes on..................

[No Truce With Kings]

The best that can be said about Perry is that he is better than KBH. Although he has shown signs of being teachable. He is embracing the Tea Party movement. Maybe it’s politics, but maybe it is a Road to Damascus moment.

[TribalPrincess2U]

Now if we can just keep this an honest election.

Even with Kay’s dim friends (ACORN) being sent to Texas, I’m sure everything will be on the up & up. /s

[Texas Fossil]

1st Step is the Primary, doubt there will be many Acorn votes in the Texas Republican Primary.

I will not vote for KBH. And I do vote in the Texas Republican Primary.

[lonestar]

KBH has talked about running for Gov for years...before her most re-elect run for the senate.

Now she is quitting to run for another office in the middle of the last term she was elected to.

I will never vote for her again. I think she has proven without doubt that she puts herself first.

I want "the former" before her title.

[deport]

Although he has shown signs of being teachable. He is embracing the Tea Party movement. Maybe it’s politics, but maybe it is a Road to Damascus moment.

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I personally think it’s just politics. Perry always seems to go where he needs to to get elected yet he’ll push such thing as the TTC, Gardisal vaccinations, etc. Perry was born and raised in a democrat family. His dad was an elected democrat and Perry first offices were as a democrat. He changed to the GOP in late 1989 when the GOP was beginning to flourish in Texas. That said many of the Texas GOP were converts from the dems.

[texasredneck]

Just asking, does anyone know why we shouldn’t take a look at Debra Medina?
http://www.medinafortexas.com/

[deport]

I will not vote for KBH. And I do vote in the Texas Republican Primary.

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There are Medina and Kilgore in the race also both of which seem to get little attention. However Kilgore claims a fairly large vote in the 2006 gov. primary. I didn't go look it up to see if he is accurate.

Larry Kilgore...... I ran for Colorado HD40 in 1994, 1996 & 1998; Texas HD93 in 2004. In 2004 I became a secessionist because the US government had trample Texas sovereignty too many times. I placed second in the 2006 gubernatorial Republican primary with 50,000 votes running as a secessionist. My vote count quadrupled in the 2008 senatorial Republican primary garnishing 226,000 votes running as a secessionist. [end snip]

Debra Medina..... Not sure how well she is known statewide but has been involved in Wharton County GOP for a few years.

[deport]

Just asking, does anyone know why we shouldn’t take a look at Debra Medina?

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She has been active in her local politics but I don’t know how much statewide recognition she has. Very little is my guess which in the long run will hurt her chances. Big money, movers/shakers will settle between Perry/Hutchison is my guess. You see the alignments already being made.

[deport]

Yep, she wanted to challenge Perry last time but as I understand the winds that blew the Party leaders asked/cojoled her to let Perry have one more term. I don’t know if that is true or not but I’ve heard that said.

Former....... with luck maybe we could get both Perry/Hutchison with ‘former’ before their names. Reckon?

[deport]

FYI.....................

[AuH2ORepublican]

I already took a look at her, and realized that she has nowhere near the experience needed to be governor of Texas (and, if we look at it politically, every vote Medina gets from conservatives makes it easier for Hutchison to win the primary with a plurality).

Medina would make a terrific congressional candidate, though. She’s from Bee County, right? Bee County is in Hinojosa’s 15th CD, which is tough for Republicans but in which President Bush defeated John Kerry in 2004.

[lonestar]

I don’t want Gov. Kinky! LOL!

[deport]

Medina would make a terrific congressional candidate, though. She’s from Bee County, right? Bee County is in Hinojosa’s 15th CD, which is tough for Republicans but in which President Bush defeated John Kerry in 2004.

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She was born in Beeville but now lives in Wharton county and chairs that county GOP. That is Ron Paul’s district.

[deport]

I don’t want Gov. Kinky! LOL!

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Kinky won’t win the Dem primary. I was really saying that maybe one of the other Pubs could win the primary and win the governor’s race. But that is highly unlikely so I guess it will be either the Tea Sip cheerleader or the Aggie Yell Leader.

[lonestar]

I agree.

Gig 'em!

[AuH2ORepublican]

Unless Medina is a Paulite, she could take on Paul in the primary, where she’d have a much better chance of winning than if she runs for governor.

[Texas Fossil]

I want no part of secession, but am sick of being sold-out by Pols.

I want it all back and the Commie Bast—ds not only out, but tried for Treason.

We have no wiggle room this time. This must be “fixed” now.

[deport]

She’d have about as much chance against Paul as she does winning statewide in the governor primary, slim and none and slim just left the building.

[DrewsDad]

Medina is a Paulite and that is where most of her support will come from. If noone gets a majority in the Republican Primary, there will be a runoff between the top 2, so theoreticallly, those voting for Medina can still vote against Hutchison in the runoff. However many of the Paulites I’ve talked too are too “pure” to vote for Perry and will simply sit out the runoff.