Texas Republicans are setting up camp in Dallas this weekend for the 2010 Texas Republican Party convention. Party leaders are trying to harness the new energy from the state’s enthusiastic Tea Party, but without giving their failed leader, former candidate for governor Debra Medina, much of a role.
“A lot of folks from the Tea Party movement are taking it to the next step and are participating in the party process by becoming delegates” — Tarrant County GOP Chair Stephanie Klick (KERA).
You can follow the convention by reading the Texas Tribune’s live-blog.
President Obama’s first term in office is being opposed at almost every turn by the noisy protests of the new Tea Party movement – a loose affiliation of conservative Americans against the President’s reforms in healthcare and excessive government spending. It criticises Democrats and Republicans and many of its supporters believe the Tea Party can radically change the political landscape in the United States.
With Tea Party support Debra Medina made an audacious bid to become governor of Texas on a platform of low taxation, gun ownership and a much-reduced role for the federal government. She talks to Stephen Sackur.
Big night for Texas politics last night. Michael and Terry break it all down in the
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
in town. Terry eats crow, Michael is crow-intolerant but did so in spirit. Doc Gould will have to return to feet doctorin’ TPR: Canseco Will Face Hurd in GOP 23rd District Congressional Runoff Austinist: Rick Perry wins GOP Primary, calls it a loss for Obama PMT: Hank Gilbert Wins Ag Commissioner Primary PMT: Linda Chavez-Thompson Wins Lt Gov Primary [WARNING alternative and offensive word used for poop is uttered in this podcast]
UPDATE: Perry lead at 51.08% w/ 99.98% reporting
Texas Governor Rick Perry pulled off a major victory tonight in defeating Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison in the Texas Republican primary for Governor.
It wasn’t a surprise that Perry won. He’s been leading in the polls for months. But the importance of his primary victory is the margin. He avoided a runoff election by garnering 51.08% of the votes with 99.98% reporting in a contested 3-way race.
“Republican voters didn’t say no to everything. They said a resounding ‘yes’ to leadership that controls spending, fights for individual freedoms and the United States Constitution.”
Hutchison, who outspent and out raised Perry, conceded the race before all the votes were in and called for unity in the Texas Republican Party. She challenged Perry from the left. Tea Party activist and Whatron County Republican Chairwoman challenged Perry from the right.
Perry will face Democrat and former Houston Mayor Bill White in the November general election.
Most polls in Texas are closed in less than an hour from now at 7:00 p.m. (CT). Voters went to the polls today to determine the outcome in the state’s midterm elections. Early voter turnout is higher than usual. It’s the first time a sitting U.S. Senator has come home to challenge a governor in a primary election.
[more]
Texas Public Radio’s Terry Gildea and PMT’s Michael Olson
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
politics on the eve of the primary election. Beyond the substantive matters, we reveal that a pickle has a hard time getting more fans than Gov. Perry.
“Yes, I have been in Congress, I am fighting against the government takeover of health care. I am fighting against the government encroachment of so many parts of our lives. I’m fighting against new tax increases on energy” — Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.
Morning Edition: The Republican primary for governor of Texas is becoming a prototype for the ideological divisions shaking up the GOP around the country.
Rick Perry, who has been governor longer than anyone else in state history, is being challenged in the March 2 primary by a sitting U.S. senator, Kay Bailey Hutchison. And a third candidate in the race, Tea Party favorite Debra Medina, is making a surprisingly strong run. All three are battling for the votes of conservatives, who make up a clear majority of Texas Republicans.
[more]
