Friday, May 8, 2009

Gov. Perry Running Hard Right Against Sen. Hutchison

Texas Gov. Rick Perry's (R) 2010 primary election strategy against Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) seems to be to court early and solid support from hard-right evangelical conservatives to scare Hutchison out of filing in December for the governor's race. Or, failing that, by moving so far right himself that by comparison it positions Hutchison as a Washington lefty in what promises to be a real rock'em sock'em Texas saloon brawl for the GOP primary in March 2010.

Perry's recent, repeated appeals to the conservative hard-right include high-profile support for a "Choose Life" license plate favored by those who oppose abortion, high-profile criticism of "Washington" and federal bailouts, refusal of federal stimulus money for jobless benefits and an invitation to conservative talk-radio host Rush Limbaugh to move to Texas.

Perry, who strongly supports teaching only "abstinence" sex education in Texas schools, appointed young earth (earth age only 6,000 years) creationist Don McLeroy as chairman of the Texas State Board of Education to oppose teaching evolution in public schools. Perry has also promised to prevent stem cell research in Texas and touts his record for passing more restrictions on stem cell research than any previous governor.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry so incited participants of three conservative anti-tax (and largely anti-Obama) "tea party" rallies on April 15th with his anti-Washington and states' rights rhetoric that the audience began to shout, "Secede!" Perry told the crowd,
"I believe the federal government has become oppressive. It’s become oppressive in its size, its intrusion in the lives of its citizens, and its interference with the affairs of our state. Texans need to ask themselves a question.

Do they side with those in Washington who are pursuing this unprecedented expansion of power, or do they believe in individual rights and responsibilities laid down in our foundational documents.

Where’re you gonna’ stand? With an ever-growing Washington bureaucracy, or are you going to stand with the people of this state who understand the importance of state’s rights. Texans need to stand up. They need to be heard, because the state of affairs that we find ourselves in cannot continue indefinitely..."

Perry also told the crowd he didn’t believe they were all “right-wing extremists,” as others portray them. “But if you are, I’m with you!” he shouted.
QUESTION: Do you approve or disapprove of Gov.
Rick Perry's suggestion that Texas may need to leave
the US?

Approve Disapprove Not
Sure
ALL 37 58 5
MEN 42 54 4
WOMEN 32 62 6
DEMOCRATS 16 80 4
REPUBLICANS 51 44 5
INDEPENDENTS 43 50 7
Daily Kos/Research 2000 Texas Poll
Perry further sparked approval of the hard-right with his secessionist talk and fiery anti-Washington rhetoric in support of a Texas sovereignty resolution in the Texas legislature.

Perry's anti-Washington secessionist rhetoric and pandering on right-wing social issues is clearly working with the Texas Republican base Perry is trying to woo away from Hutchison.

An internal poll from Texas Gov. Rick Perry's (R) camp finds Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) beating him in a Republican primary, 45% to 39%.


A new just released Rasmussen Reports poll supports Perry's internal poll showing that in a primary match up, Rick Perry now holds the edge at 42%, over Kay Bailey Hutchison's 38%.

Both polls indicate a heavy erosion of support from polls taken in 2008 indicating Hutchison held a strong lead over Perry in a 2010 primary match up by more than 20 points.

If Hutchison does beat incumbent Rick Perry in the Republican primary, her Democratic opponent, whoever that turns out to be, will have a tall challenge to beat her in the November 2010 general election.

On the other hand, if Perry does manage to edge Hutchison in the primary, he will have positioned himself so far right he will have irrevocably alienated himself from about two-thirds of the overall Texas electorate. This will give Perry's general election Democratic opponent, whoever that turns out to be, a real advantage.

Remember during the 2008 Texas primary race between Obama and Clinton Rush Limbaugh urged his Republican and Conservative listeners, in what he called "Operation Chaos," to vote for Hillary Clinton in the open March 4, 2008 TX Democratic Primary to defeat Barack Obama. . . I'm thinking, just maybe, Democrats should return the favor in the March 2010 GOP primary and vote for Rick Perry to put him rather than Hutchison on the November 2010 general election ballot.

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