The 2010 Texas Governor’s Race

What we all have feared has come to fruition. Texas Governor Rick Perry—already the longest serving governor in Texas history—announced that he is seeking to turn ten years in office to fourteen years. With the 2010 Governor’s Race around the corner, many Republicans are urging Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson to run against him. I honestly cannot see how she would lose the Republican primary against him.

From the 2006 Midterm Elections, it is clear that 61% of Texans are ready for another governor and hopefully we can line up strongly behind a single candidate to stop him, either in the primary or in the fall election itself.

Moreover with Texas legislatures and the State Supreme Court being under Republican control, I would not at all mind a Democrat in the Governor’s mansion if the life issues are safeguarded for at least one term, or maybe even two terms. (Not that I'd vote for that Democrat if he or she is pro-choice).

None of this comes as a surprise to me. Perry was George W. Bush’s Lieutenant Governor and he has carried on the Bush legacy—failure. All the Democrats have to ask the voters is this: do they want “a third Perry term” or “is it time for a change?” This seems to have created a circus on the national level that has played much to their favor—at least until McCain chose Palin.

Nevertheless, it remains that after over a decade of predominant Republican leadership, Texas schools are facing a massive budget crisis and continued budget cuts, terrible performances on standardized testing, scandals that have racked the Texas Youth Commission, soaring college tuitions that have amounted to a middle class tax increase, over a billion dollars in highway funds that were “lost” while toll roads are being outsourced to foreign corporations, Texas is leading the nation in children who have no health insurance, and the list goes on.

“Governor 39% of the Vote” can run again and the Democrats will win in 2010.