Many wondered why Republican U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison thought she could beat Republican Gov. Rick Perry, as he sought their party’s nomination for a third term as governor. He’s obviously more conservative than she is, and Texas is still a very conservative state.
He led with 51 percent of the votes to her 31 percent, as a third Republican candidate, Debra Medina, was far behind.
All three candidates ran as “conservatives,” but Gov. Perry ran as a “real” Texan, portraying Sen. Hutchison as more attuned to big-spending Washington, with her Senate term running till 2013.
Gov. Perry will be challenged in the general election by the Democrat nominee, former Houston Mayor Bill White, who beat out six challengers to win his party primary.