The Texas Republican Primary
The 2010 gubernatorial race is big business in Texas. Rick Perry is a callously murderous incumbent that is regarded by much of the nation as a laughable excuse for a governor. Kay Bailey Hutchinson can’t make up her mind about leaving the senate, and is only moderately less repulsive than Perry. Recently, Bill White threw his hat into the ring as a contender after gearing up for a senate run to fill Hutchison’s presumedly empty seat. These three make up the heavy weights in what looks to be a brutally contested race. As the state gears up for the next election cycle five major newspapers, Houston Chronicle, Dallas Morning News, Austin Statesman, San Antonio Express-News, and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, will team up to canvas their respective cities in a first of its kind effort to conduct a single statewide poll.
Wayne Slater writes in Trail Blazers blog that:
While candidates and interest groups conduct their own polls, the partnership is aimed at assuring that Texas voters get the results of independent polling. The surveys will be designed to canvass likely voters, using standard methodology, telephone interviews and a sample size to produce accurate results. Each paper will use its own staffers in home offices at in the state Capitol to tailor special stories for their regional readership and online users.
This should be pretty interesting to see when it starts happening. I wonder what the big cities have to say about their governor and potential governors. I know I have a few choice words for all of them.
