Yesterday, State Senator Leticia Van de Putte (right) announced her decision to not enter the 2010 gubernatorial Democratic primary election race.
Today, former Bush Administration Ambassador to Australia and Japan
announced to a gathering in Fort Worth that he definitely is in the 2010 gubernatorial race.
Schieffer, the younger brother of CBS-TV newsman Bob Schieffer, surfaced as an unexpected Democratic prospect for 2010 on Texas Independence Day (March 2nd) when he announced he was forming an
"exploratory committee" for the 2010 Democratic primary gubernatorial race. (
website)
Tom Schieffer, who is a former State Representative, former partner in the Texas Rangers, endorsed G.W. Bush for the offices of both Governor and President. Schieffer says he has always voted the Democratic ballot in Texas primary elections, supported Barack Obama for the 2008 primary and general election, and that he supported Democrat Chris Bell in the 2006 Governor's race.
On June 19th Schieffer attended the first annual dual county Fish Fry Social & Fund Raiser event organized by the Democratic Parties of Collin and Denton County. In remarks to the Democratic audience Schieffer suggested that he can attract not only Democrats, but Independents and even some disaffected moderate Republicans. (BOR extended interview with Tom Schieffer.)
Early in May Mark Thompson, 2008 Democratic candidate for Railroad Commissioner, announced he was forming an exploratory committee for a possible gubernatorial run. Thompson received 44.6 percent of the vote in 2008 when he ran against Republican incumbent Michael Williams for the Railroad Commission seat.
Humorist Kinky Friedman (left) has also formed an exploratory committee for possible gubernatorial run. Friedman received 12 percent of the vote in 2006 when he ran as an Independent in the four-way race for Governor against incumbent Republican Governor Rick Perry, Democrat Chris Bell and Independent Carole Keeton Strayhorn. Gov. Rick Perry won the four-way 2006 election with 39 percent of the vote.
The Republican primary ballot position for governor is also getting a bit crowded. Texas Gov. Rick Perry's (R) and Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, pictured left, top the ballot position.
State Rep. Leo Berman (R-Tyler pictured right) announced on May 25th that he will announce as a Republican candidate for governor the week of July 4. Berman, is to Perry's right on the political spectrum.
Other Republicans who have announced for the Republican primary for governor include Debra Medina, the Wharton County Republican Party Chair, and Larry Kilgore. (Medina photo left from the Examinor.com)
A poll just released by the non-partisan Texas Lyceum suggests that among Republicans, Gov. Rick Perry current leads U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison by 33 percent to 21 percent, though the spread between them falls within the poll’s margin of error of plus or minus 6.1 percentage points. Last fall polling numbers were reversed with Hutchison leading Perry by as much as 15 points.
The poll appears to suggest that Perry has a strong lead among core conservatives, while Hutchison has an edge among GOP moderates and liberals. The largest number of GOP voters at 45 percent are undecided.
When asked about the poll, Hutchison spokesman Hans Klingler told the The Austin American-Statesman, “To the extent this poll shows anything, it’s that two-thirds of Texans don’t want Rick Perry for yet another four years. His 39 percent support from (November) 2006 is deteriorating. When Kay Bailey Hutchison begins laying out her vision for the state later this summer, we’re confident that her substance will prevail over his rhetoric.”
When was asked to comment on the poll, Perry spokesman Mark Miner told the The Austin American-Statesman, “After months of criticisms from Washington and tearing down Texas, the senator’s numbers continue to drop. Gov. Perry will continue to talk about creating jobs, cutting taxes, protecting private property right and improving education.”
The Texas Lyceum poll also found that 81 percent of Democratic voters are undecided about the candidates who have announce thus far.
The Texas Lyceum Poll
Daniel Dodd, Chairperson of the Democratic Party of Collin County, informed the party's Executive Committee during its meeting on June 24th that he will resign the chair position effective June 30, 2009.
