Start your online contribution meters, because gubernatorial primary season is ramping up.
July 15 is the next deadline for filing statewide campaign finance reports, so the serious candidates are checking their totals, and Democrats are starting to ponder the impact of the Draft Ronnie Earle movement. The former Travis County DA has filed the paperwork for a statewide run, but is coy about which office. He has the big plus of name recognition but the big minus of Republican strategists rubbing their hands in glee about having their arch-nemesis back in the ring.
Speaking GOP, both Gov. Rick Perry and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-TX, are touting their fundraising powers (Hutchison in video format). Everyone’s still waiting to see when she steps down from Senate (smart money is on “in time to avoid having to vote on the Justice Sonia Sotomayor nomination”) and gets in the race properly.
See below the fold for the list of big names and solid rumors about who is, isn’t, or may be running for governor.
Announced Republicans:
Gov. Rick Perry (campaign website)
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (campaign website)
Debra Medina (failed 2006 Republican Party of Texas vice-chair candidate: campaign website)
Larry Kilgore (failed 2006 gubernatorial primary candidate: campaign website)
Out of the running: Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler
Announced Democrats:
Mark Thompson (former Railroad Commission candidate)
Tom Schieffer (former ambassador to Australia and Japan: campaign website)
Considering a run: Kinky Friedman; Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin; Ronnie Earle (campaign website)
Out of the running: Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio; Bill White (former Houston mayor, running for U.S. Senate)
This article appears in July 3 • 2009.
