UT/TT Poll: Perry Starts Ahead of Abbott in 2014 Race
Gov. Rick Perry would defeat Attorney General Greg Abbott by a nearly 3-to-1 margin if a Republican gubernatorial primary were held today, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll.
Such a contest might never come: Neither man has declared for that 2014 race, with each saying he will wait until June or later to make a public announcement of his political plans. Perry recently said they have talked and that Abbott wouldn’t run if the governor sought re-election. But just as the 2010 election year was preceded by speculation of a contest between Perry and Kay ...
Comments (38)
Karen Spivey-Cummings via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I don't want either one of them.
Kirk Garner via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Stupid is as stupid does.
Deb Collins via Texas Tribune on Facebook
this is someones joke! Rick Perry could not even stay long in the presidental race!
Robert Berger via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Texas still has a long way to go to rid this state of ignorance and bigotry
Michelle Michon via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Vote Texas BLUE!
Steven Felfe via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I would Vote for Debra Medina if she ran again. I hear Kinky Friedman may take a run at office next go around too.
Bruce Hinchey via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Vote Texas blue so we can be prosperous like Detroit, Chicago, Los Angeles, and DC!
Michelle Michon via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Insults from people who voted for Perry... LOL
Barbara Peyton via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Texas would be in trouble either way!!
Bambi Clark via Texas Tribune on Facebook
They are both right wing crony capitalists.
Bambi Clark via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I would be ashamed if I voted for someone as stupid and bought as Perry.
Melia Newman via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Can we have another choice please?
Lori Trammell via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Can't argue with results.
Steven Felfe via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Make Texas anything but BLUE or RED.. lets turn it Aggie maroon or UT orange.
Jim G.
I'm a Perry supporter generally but, not in all things. I think he's had his run and it's time for him to step back and allow somebody else to step up to the plate. By now, enough people will have had enough of him to vote for anybody else., Likewise, some people are likely to object to handing him another, unprecedented, term and would cote against him on that principle.
There's (likely) not yet a third party strong enough to have a good chance of taking such a seat of government so unless we want to hand the state back to the Democrats, there has to be a different runner in the Republican race. (And believe me, I have no love lost for the republicans either but they are the closest to conservatives (or maybe just not so far left as the full cry liberals) that I am likely to get.
With the liberals ravening for our state's destruction you can bet they would get all the vast sums of money, and political leaning Obama and the Feds can bring to bear. A liberal Democrat governor would swing the gates of the state wide open for it.
Mark Clark via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Perry is an international embarrassment...I can't understand his appeal. It disappoints me. Trying to force vaccinations for std's on children?? Continually in the bottom 20 states for education and medical care. Number one creator of minimum wage jobs. Woo hoo...now that's a record to be proud of. We're number 31!! Doesn't anyone else think Texas should be number 1?? Enough of the mediocrity....please give us a worthy candidate who can snap these people from Perry's spell.
Cindy Rhoton Cook via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I would vote against Perry, he has destroyed our state!
Mark Paulson via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I'm done with Kinky. But Greg Abbott is actually insane, and the activist in him makes him more dangerous than Perry, who, lucky for us has been pretty lazy lately.
Rye Lee via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Why was there not an "other" option? Crappy poll.
Pickles Sorrell
Once again it's another Bozo-the-Clown internet poll. The proven methodology on this crap is non-existent and the pollsters who have tried to do this on a national scale have seen their credibility torn to shreds. How the Tribune continues to report this political equivalent of fantasy football polling as legitimate polling is beyond me.
Matthew Cowan via Texas Tribune on Facebook
LOL, Texas came out of the recession first. Why? Because our State under the current leadership had been providing businesses a climate where they actually can survive unlike other states that are destroying the ability of companies to survive (i.e. California and Illinois). Texas education is not at the bottom. That is a myth from the Teachers unions who measure success based on money spent and not results. Out states budget is balanced. We have a surplus which came in handy last session. We still have a surplus despite the desire to spend it all by the Democrats (who love spending their way in to prosperity but as we can see that does not work).
Texas has done well.
Stanley Moore via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Bruce--- have you ever been out of your city limits?
Race to the bottom--that's the Perry way.
Jim Wier via Texas Tribune on Facebook
A Democrat.
Jim Wier via Texas Tribune on Facebook
@Matthew Cowan: Texas did not suffer because of the energy industry and because we had regulations on the books which limited the harm caused by the real estate bubble.
Matthew Cowan via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Race to the Bottom Stanley? Why your state California has already done that!!
Matthew Cowan via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Jim, that is only part of the reason. The other part is that Texas had also diversified its businesses. That was the result of creating a better climate to do business.
Real Estate did take a big hit in Texas. Texas did not feel it as much because our economy was able to endure better than other states. There were plenty of foreclosures. Plenty of banks stopped lending for real estate in Texas. But as a whole our state was better able to weather the storm.
Samdavis
Wow look at this, all the delusional Perry homers in one place.
Gay Howard Maclaskey via Texas Tribune on Facebook
With either of those two choices, the Republicans will continue to implode. I know I will be looking at the Democratic candidates this time if those two dudes are the choices.
Jim Vance
Was "None of the above" an option? If it had been, that would likely have been the highest rank.
Molly O'Rielly via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I don't understand why anyone regardless of party affiliation thinks it is acceptable for a governor or any head of power to remain in office for 4 terms. It is absurd.
Molly O'Rielly via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Also, I want to point out Bruce that Detroit Michigan is very Red. It has had a Republican Governor and Legislation for quite some time now.
Molly O'Rielly via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Also Matthew we do not have a surplus. We have the illusion of a surplus. They never reinstated the 8 billion dollars cut from Education over the past 10 years (35% of the total budget), or the money for state parks, mental health, the 60% cut from women's health etc. etc. If they reinstated the money they have cut from all of our programs over the years we would be deeply in debt.
Also, Texas is not 50th but we are very seriously near the bottom. We are 49th in verbal SAT scores, 46th math SAT, 47th literacy, and 50th in people over 25 with GED or Diploma. Our education is one of the worst in the states. Furthermore, there are no teachers Unions in Texas. They are illegal here. What our teachers have is business organizations that can help them with legal aid, but it is very illegal for them to strike or organize under the banner of a Union. Because of this they are paid some of the lowest wages in the nation. Also, since they don't have the bargaining power other teachers unions have, 100,000 of them were laid off in 2011 when 5.4 billion was cut from the education budget.
As for your statement about the Democrats wanting to spend the surplus I'd take another look at the budgets proposed. The budget proposed from the bipartisan legislature came in under budget but Perry proposed spending not only the entire budget but also suggested taking money out of the rainy day fund.
Matthew Cowan via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I have never been a fan of artifical term limits. True term limits are at the ballot box.
Matthew Cowan via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Molly, we do have a surplus. When a budget is reduced, there is no IOU to that budget item. Budget Items are not guaranteed any particular funding. The LBB meets before the session and begin work on the budget. There is no guarantee that an item in the budget be funded at or greater than what it was budgeted in the previous years. In fact it can be zeroed out if they wish. That is the difference in philosophy that people have. One side says if there is not an increase in a budget then that is a cut. Where the other side says if the cut is not below what was spent previously then no cut has occurred. IT is called being financially responsible. It is also called living within your means.
Texas is tied for third for students graduating from school. TO use SAT scores as a measure presuppose that everyone is college material. That is not the case. As to Union,s there are Teacher Unions. The NEA, AFT, TSTA and so on are Teacher Unions. Nothing Illegal about them. The difference is that they have no power to organize and force people to join. It is a good thing to be a right to work state. Many states with Unions, the cost are higher, and the ability to get rid of bad teachers is next to impossible. The problem with Unions is they drive up costs. In Wisconsin, Several school districts were in serious financial trouble. When Gov. Walker instituted his reforms, the Teacher Unions said that there would e no money and teachers will be laid off. Guess what, that was not the case. In many of those financially troubled schools, they not only were able to turn things around but there were no layoffs and in fact there was some who actually had new hires.
In Texas, Teachers are making good wages. Austin/Round Rock: $50,760, Dallas/Plano/Irving: $56,160, Fort Worth/Arlington: $52,530, Houston/Sugar Land/Baytown: $54,700, San Antonio: $55,510. That is pretty good wages. Then there are the benefits. Texas Teacher Retirement System is good.
Matthew Cowan via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Molly, there were not 100,000 teachers laid off. 10,000 teachers left the profession in the 2011-2012 year. Many of those were those who chose to retire. Most schools lost teachers due to attrition not lay offs. In some school districts they actually hire teachers.
Matthew Cowan via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Molly, look at the record, the Democrats wanted to spend the WHOLE 8 billion budget surplus last session. That is a fact. The Republicans did not allow that to happen. In fact the Legislature tapped nearly 4 million from the fund in 2011. They had to beat back attempts to spend more.
Sherri Williams via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Uh member of teachers' union so I can afford a lawyer if sued by parent for failure to teach my total inclusion class. Matthew, I don't give to PAC. Have you Been in a high school for a week straight lately? Teachers are so rich because state raised minimum wage for them to 28K. How much do you make?
Matthew Cowan via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Sheri, I understand your reasoning for being a member of AFT. The Professional Liability insurance is needed in such a crazy world. My company carries general liability and Professional Liability Insurance. Even though you do not give to PAC's, general membership dues are used for furtherance of their political agenda. PACs allow them to give directly to the candidates campaign. Whereas the general dues are used for lobbying and not campaign donations.
Yes, I have been in a high school class room for a week. I know it is not easy and it all depends on who is supporting you like the Principal. Also remember that the wages of a teachers are a shared expense between the state andthe District.