Free Republic

Incumbent Republican Gov. Rick Perry faces Democratic challengers Chris Bell and Independents Kinky Friedman and Carole Keeton Strayhorn in the 2006 gubernatorial race. In the fourth part of News 8 Austin's five-part gubernatorial forum, the candidates discuss transportation and energy. Q: Now, let’s combine public transportation and developing renewable energy. What do you think we should be doing to make Texas the leader in the nation in these areas and why should Texans care about that? Strayhorn: Well, we certainly need every renewable energy and we need wind generation and we also need telecommuting. Fifteen percent of my employees are...

One of the best pieces of advice given to people who inherit money or win the lottery is to not make any important decisions immediately. So what does Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris Bell do upon receiving a check for $1 million? He leaves a telephone message on Kinky Friedman's cell phone asking the Kinkster to meet with him for the purpose of discussing why Friedman should drop out of the race to help Bell defeat Gov. Rick Perry. How stupid is this? Let's just say we're glad Bell is not in charge of negotiating with North Korea. One of the...

Kinky says he won't step down. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris Bell called on independent Kinky Friedman to drop his 20-month-old bid for governor Tuesday night. Friedman didn't directly answer his opponent but said in a telephone interview: "Hell, no. Why would I do that? "I don't want to step down for anybody when I think America is going to have a big turnout" on Election Day, Friedman said from a hotel in McAllen. "I'm not looking for a way out. We don't negotiate with terrorists." Republican Gov. Rick Perry "better watch this, because we're going to beat him," Friedman said....

All four candidates, one GOP, one Dem and two Indys will be holding the only debate for Texas Governor tonight at 7:00 p.m. Central time. Gee, I wonder whose influence had this debate scheduled during Friday night football?

AUSTIN - Can the four major candidates for Texas governor debate each other for an hour on live television without being seen or heard? Probably not, but Belo Corp., sponsor of the only such gubernatorial showdown this fall, will test that possibility Friday night, both with its restrictive distribution rules and the time slot. Originating in Dallas, the debate will be carried live on the company's WFAA flagship; Belo affiliates in Houston (KHOU-Channel 11), San Antonio and Austin; Belo's Texas Cable News (TXCN) and will be streamed live on their Web sites. TV stations in smaller towns outside Belo markets...

<p>A master plan of the proposed toll road and rail line from the Oklahoma border to San Antonio was unveiled this morning by the Texas Department of Transportation.</p> <p>This summer, critics panned the secrecy of the privately funded deal and called for financial details to be revealed.</p>

North Texas grows by 150,000 people a year – about the population of Richardson and Rowlett combined. McKinney and Frisco each add 200 newcomers a week. Keeping pace with the mobility needs of the mushrooming region is a losing proposition if we use only traditional means: state fuel taxes and leveraged federal funds. Yet most positions taken by candidates for governor are unrealistically wed to yesterday's formulas for financing roadways. Here's the size of the North Texas funding gap over the next 25 years: a nearly $28 billion shortage for new highways and related projects, according to the Regional Transportation...

HILLSBORO, Texas — Leroy Walters has survived many a threat on the farm that has been in his family for 120 years — droughts, hailstorms, tornadoes, grasshopper attacks. But now he sees a manmade danger on the horizon: a colossal, 600-mile superhighway that will plow clear across Texas, perhaps cutting through Walters' milo and corn fields, obliterating family houses and robbing his grandchildren of their land. "I don't think they're going to want to pay a toll to go across this land," he said. "They want to enjoy it free, as Texans should enjoy it." That kind of fear and...

Perry and Strayhorn have regressed, Strayhorn by a considerable margin, while Bell (15 to 23) and Friedman (16 to 23) have moved up. Bell is finally consolidating Democratic support (from a pathetic 32 percent in April to 44% in July and 55% this time) and is getting more Independents (from 10% to 18%), while Friedman has picked up Republicans (from 10% to 23%) and more Indies (32% to 39%). Both Perry (65% to 56%) and Strayhorn (20% to 14%) have seen their GOP strength decline. Strayhorn has also seen her Democratic support wane, as she's dropped from 30% to 20%.

Friedman leads field in individual donations; Perry holds cash lead AUSTIN (AP) - Comedic candidate Kinky Friedman has far and away the most individual donations in the governor's race this year, collecting campaign cash from thousands across Texas and across the country. Republican Gov. Rick Perry leads in total money, followed by independent Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn - both piling up millions of dollars and benefiting from some large contributions of $100,000 or more. With Perry and Strayhorn holding that strong financial advantage entering the Nov. 7 election, Friedman will be working to capitalize on what appears to be a...

Governor hopeful Bell says changing schools priority for state's future BY ROBIN BRISCOE AVALANCHE-JOURNAL Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris Bell said he wants to build the Texas that most only envision in their dreams. He believes he offers a new vision of positive change for the state and encouraged an excited crowd of about 60 Democrats Thursday evening to unite to make it happen. Bell said he believes changing public schools is the No. 1 priority to a brighter future, adding that there aren't enough bandages to just fix it. "We keep falling further and further behind the rest of the...

Gov. Rick Perry's campaign opponents are hoping his Trans-Texas Corridor becomes a central campaign issue, and it is now the focus of a new online campaign attack. It's an animation, like the JibJab cartoons that took aim at President Bush during the last election. But the creators say their message is anything but funny. It's the latest shot in the Texas governor's race, and it takes aim at Perry's Trans-Texas Corridor. An online animated video calls Perry's Trans-Texas Corridor a land grab that will use eminent domain to kick Texans out of their homes, farms and ranches. "Eminent domain is...

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The state’s highest criminal appeals court said Wednesday it would consider reinstating a conspiracy charge against former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, further delaying his felony money laundering trial. A Travis County grand jury indicted DeLay and two political consultants last year on charges stemming from Republican fundraising during the 2002 legislative races. A state district court judge later threw out one of two conspiracy charges. Prosecutors asked the appeals court to reinstate the dropped charge, and the court said Wednesday that it would consider that request. Judge Pat Priest said he would proceed with DeLay’s...

GOVERNOR'S RACE Contrasting views emerge on the mix of faith, politics Candidates make their beliefs known in wake of national push for a piece of religious vote AUSTIN - God is everywhere in the race for Texas governor. And in this crowded field, there's plenty of room for interpretation on just what it means to bring faith to public service. Is it Gov. Rick Perry campaigning against gay marriage and signing abortion restrictions into law at a church school gym? Is it Democrat Chris Bell calling Texas' budget morally out of balance under the GOP incumbent because of children who...

AUSTIN — Two gubernatorial candidates received rare embraces from leaders of an organization that prides itself on its fierce nonpartisanship and rigid rules for politicians. Democrat Chris Bell got a warm embrace Saturday morning after pledging support for education and healthcare spending, training for livable wage jobs and comprehensive immigration reform all of which make up the "working families agenda" for the Texas Industrial Areas Foundation. Texas comptroller and independent gubernatorial candidate Carole Keeton Strayhorn got a big hug on Friday from the Rev. John Bowie of True Light Baptist Church in Houston after Strayhorn offered passionate support for most...

Democratic candidate Bell fires criticism at Perry ASSOCIATED PRESS IRVING (AP) - Democrat Chris Bell, the lone candidate for governor campaigning on Labor Day, didn't mince words in taking aim at Republican incumbent Rick Perry. "On issue after issue, category after category - education, health care, stem cell research, the environment, our state parks system - Rick Perry is an absolute miserable failure as governor," Bell said at the Dallas AFL-CIO Labor Day Breakfast. Bell made other stops Monday in Tyler, Galveston and Waco, each time stressing the need for the state to revamp a weak education system. Perry spent...

Democrats believe victory possible in GOP-dominated Texas ASSOCIATED PRESS SUGAR LAND (AP) - Texas Democrats rallied Sunday behind the idea they can win in November in a state that in recent history has been dominated by the GOP. "We can change Texas. But we're going to have to be willing to change ourselves. We have to learn to win again. That means getting past our defeatist attitude. We have to learn to win again because Texas needs us to lead again," gubernatorial candidate Chris Bell told a group of about 100 people who gathered at the Fort Bend County Democratic...

Online nature of poll raises questions but gives life to Bell Campaign Although its methodology is among the most questionable of the national pollsters watching Texas' elections, the most today's Wall Street Journal/Zogby Poll has some startling results. According to WSJ/Zogby, Governor Perry's lead has dropped to 34.8%. The biggest beneficiary is Democrat Chris Bell who has surged into second place at 23.1%. "All we need to beat Rick Perry is 35%, and the way Rick Perry is dropping and Chris Bell is rising, it's clear that the only realistic way to get a new governor is to get behind...

TOPEKA, Kan. - Democratic congressional challenger Nancy Boyda repeated concerns Wednesday about a proposed multilane superhighway that eventually could span the United States from Mexico to Canada, calling it a threat to Kansans. "There seems to be a plan to blur the border with the United States and Mexico," Boyda said, referring to a proposed 10-lane corridor parallel to Interstate 35 in Texas. Boyda has made the highway an issue in her effort to defeat incumbent Republican Jim Ryun in a rematch of their 2nd District race two years ago. While Ryun says immigration is the top issue on his...

Governor emphasis on tollways, private road-builders has generated urban and rural unrest Rick Perry's political problem with transportation, to the extent that he has one, may be that he's trying to douse a fire in 2006 that won't ignite for another 10 to 20 years. His critics say, no, the problem is that Perry wants to charge us for the water. What isn't in dispute is that the Republican governor and his appointees over the past six years have turned Texas transportation on its head, moving the state from financing public roads solely with taxes to a system that would...