Concerned Citizens

This is the second in a series of posts about the 2010 Texas elections that started with a look at the Democrats. In this posting I dig into the Republican side of the Texas gubernatorial ticket which is pitting incumbent Gov. Rick Perry against Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and conservative Debra Medina. It’s becoming a battle to see who can claim the title of “most conservative” of the trio and, at times, is becoming a little comical. However, there are serious issues to consider when looking at this field, mostly around a commitment of service to Texans or a desire to grandstand against the Obama administration. Of late, it appears the later goal is more important; something that could backfire in the general election in November. So let’s take a look at the Republicans vying for the governor’s seat.

Usually the state’s Republican primary is a yawner as the party fields a typical line-up of candidates for the primary to prepare for the General Election. This year the status quo changed with the entry of Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison running as a candidate against incumbent Gov. Rick Perry. Add to that former Wharton County Republican party chair Debra Medina, a staunch Libertarian style conservative, and you have a good old Texas primary complete with mud-slinging in the making. Based on early campaign rhetoric it appears all of the candidates are touting how much more conservative they are compared with their opponents. It’s a hard sprint to the right.

Gov. Rick Perry, seeking his third term to become the longest serving governor in Texas history, has had his share of interesting moments during the early part of his campaign. Appearing before a Tea Party rally in Austin Perry suggested that if Texas got fed up with Obama the state might secede but probably wouldn’t. Merely suggesting the fact has demonstrated the grandstanding Perry seems to be comfortable with aside from dealing with issues.

This past year Perry rejected $556M in stimulus dollars for unemployment benefits as a message to the Obama administration. Interestingly enough Texas still received over $16B in stimulus money which Perry had no problem taking, sending a mixed message for those that were paying attention.  Perry’s attempt at grandstanding had repercussions later in the year when news came that the Texas Workforce Commission would have to raise unemployment taxes to deal with a rise in unemployment claims due to increased layoffs.

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison decided to launch a bid for the governor’s seat this year and challenge Gov. Perry. Conventional wisdom would have suggested challenging an incumbent to be unwise but then again Hutchison is anything but conventional, having considered the office twice before in 2000 and 2006. Some have speculated that Hutchison wants to return to Texas with her family and get away from Washington politics. However, for her to become governor she will have to resign the Senate; a move she has put off several times including the most recent delay until after the primary.

It’s entirely fair to feel that Hutchison really is not comfortable with the beltway style of politics that exists within the Senate. Just recently she voted against her party to end the filibuster over a defense spending bill that was standing in the way of the health care reform bill. For that action she has taken heat from the conservatives in both the party and within Texas as countering any Republican effort to stop a vote on health care reform.

Finally there is Debra Medina, former chair of the Republican Party of Wharton County, who has come out as a candidate with Tea Party credentials. Reading her website she is definitely appealing to those who align with the grassroots effort launched in opposition to many of Pres. Obama’s initiatives. While Medina doesn’t have hardly any of the name recognition Perry or Hutchison aligning with the Tea Party could provide a strong field effort that could provide a challenge to both of the established Republicans.

Republicans this year have been struggling with identity in the wake of Obama’s election and Republican losses in both the House and Senate. Conservatives have been regaining their voice and motivating more candidates to espouse conservative positions in an effort to lure their support. The recent election in NY-23 demonstrated how much of a force this strong conservative surge can be in shaping the electorate.