SCENE: At work, almost nodding off to sleep after a lunch of chili cheese dogs at my favorite Austin hot dog place, Dog Almighty

Suddenly, a blast from The Quorum Report: PERRY TELLS MORNING NEWS HE WILL SEEK RE-ELECTION IN 2010

(Everything from QR comes in all-caps, so I feel like Harvey is yelling at me at all times. Kind of like listening to the sound of Cantonese.) DMN's story is here, Star-Telegram's story is here.

Within the next twenty minutes come responses from US Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and Lt. Governor David Dewhurst, both of whom were expected to be contenders for governor in 2010. Both statements make it seem like they don't really care.

Hutchison:
"I am encouraged by the growing number of Texans asking me to return home to run for Governor to provide leadership for our state. It is too early to make an announcement about the 2010 race. Right now I remain committed to serving the people of Texas in the United States Senate and helping our Republican candidates win crucial elections this fall."

Dewhurst:
"My focus is on the 2009 legislative session and continuing to build on our successes over the past 5 years. Whatever I decide to do after that will be based on what's best for Texas."

Not to be left out, the Texas Democratic Party chair, Boyd Richie, blasted out a response, too:

"Given the current State of the State after five years of absolute and failed Republican rule, there's no reason to think Governor Perry's record would earn him more than the 39% he received in 2006."

Is he really running, or is this just another way to remain relevant ahead of the 2009 legislative session? Perry still does have a lot of money in his campaign kitty... but I guess we won't know until we know.

Categories: 2010 Gubernatorial Race |
Posted by Elise Hu at 4:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Kay Bailey Hutchison faced a barrage of questions in Washington this afternoon, now that she's sending stronger signals she will run for Texas guvnah in 2010.

Watch the raw video of Hutchison's latest comments

It all started with Evan Smith's post last week about his interview with her, in which she left open the possibility of resigning the senate by 2009 (her term doesn't end until 2012).

"I walked out of that interview almost certain that she was gonna run, and I walked out from it more certain than ever before that she might not serve her term out," Smith told me today.

But KBH insists she didn't really say anything that she hasn't said before, and that we're all overanalyzing this. What? Political nerds? Overanalyze???

Some of her latest comments, from her press gaggle in DC:
"I would not be interested in seeking re-election in 2012, so there's nothing new there. The governor's race is an option. It's been speculated on before, and I hold it out as an option."

What she says about telling Evan Smith she'd consider an early departure:
Maybe I'm too forthcoming in answering questions. I'm not too good at not saying what seems to be obvious to me, and maybe it's not obvious to everyone... I try to answer the questions.

Regarding questions about stepping down by 2009:
I've made no decision so there's really no reason to talk about an upside or downside. So much has to come together.

Her message to all of us:
There's just too much talk about it right now, because it's so far away. And I think anyone in politics who talks about something three years out is probably not very experienced in politics.

Ah, there's the rub. She is probably a VERY GOOD politician, so she's talking about it but not talking about it. It's a non-announcement announcement. Political consultant Chuck McDonald -- and sources on background -- say it was probably not an accident. She needed to get it out there to shore up support from her big GOP donors.

Categories: 2010 Gubernatorial Race | US Congress |
Posted by Elise Hu at 4:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Houston Mayor Bill White introduced Lance Armstrong, who then introduced State Rep. Patrick Rose, at Rose's Sunday night fundraiser. But what was the Houston Mayor doing at a rally in Central Texas?

Well, White says he and Rose have known each other since the representative's halycon days of youth, which was around age 18. But White's the Mayor of HOUSTON, not, say, Buda, which is actually in Rose's district, and he came all the way out to Hays County to support the young rep?

It probably goes a bit deeper. Sources in the Texas Democratic Party say they are looking toward 2010, when White may seek the party's nomination for Governor. It would make sense, then, for the Mayor to up his statewide profile by appearing at more events in more places across Texas. (And according to The Houston Chronicle, his presentation was "crisp".)

KVUE: Elise Hu White greets baby Victoria and State Rep. Mark Strama outside the annual Rose BBQ.

He's even cuddling up to babies, seen in this photo with State Rep. Mark Strama (D-Austin) and Strama's seven-month-old daughter, Victoria.

And lest we forget who else was spotted at the fundraiser -- Glen Maxey, former State Rep who's now running for Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector, State Rep. Eddie Lucio III, D-Brownsville, and State Rep. Rick Noriega, (D-Houston), sporting a nice cowboy hat. Noriega is running for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate.

Categories: 2010 Gubernatorial Race |
Posted by Elise Hu at 10:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)