Enlarge photo by: Bob Daemmrich

The Dartmouth College press room at the Republican presidential debate on Oct. 11, 2011.

Your afternoon reading: parsing Perry's aggressive new Iowa ad; Paul campaign announces five new office openings in early states; Formula One organizers break impasse

Enlarge photo by: Bob Daemmrich

Gov. Rick Perry delivers a campaign speech to a crowd in Orange City, Iowa, on Oct. 8, 2011.

Rick Perry's poll numbers remain stagnant, but in new internal data, his campaign may see reason for hope.

Enlarge photo by: Marjorie Kamys Cotera

GOP PResidential hopefuls, Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich before Lincoln-Douglas type debate on November 5th, 2011 The Woodlands, Texas

He may be the new Republican presidential front-runner, but Newt Gingrich has been well behind his rivals in raising campaign cash from Texas.

Enlarge photo by: Marjorie Kamys Cotera

Newt Gingrich at a press conference after a debate with Herman Cain in The Woodlands on Nov. 5, 2011.

Your afternoon reading: Paul goes after Gingrich in new Iowa ad; Perry Super PAC making big early-state ad buys; more good polling news for Gingrich

Enlarge photo by: Bob Daemmrich

Gov. Rick Perry during a stump speech to Johnson County Republicans in Tiffin, Iowa, on Oct. 7, 2011.

Bad timing threatens to spoil Gov. Rick Perry's swing through Washington this week.

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Mitt Romney, Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich at the Republican presidential debate at Dartmouth College on Oct. 11, 2011.

Your afternoon reading: Gingrich joins Paul/Trump spat; new early-state ads for Paul and Perry; black lawmakers object to redistricting talk

Enlarge photo illustration by: Gage Skidmore / Todd Wiseman

Herman Cain's exit has left an opening for Rick Perry, but the governor may have already lost his chance.

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For this week's nonscientific survey of political and government insiders, we asked what issues might surface in the party primaries, whether the Voting Right Act is still necessary — and if the state should mandate a Longhorn-Aggie game on Thanksgiving.

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Your afternoon reading: Trump to moderate Republican debate; major Perry donors turning to Romney; Hochberg won't seek re-election to House

Enlarge photo by: Gage Skidmore

On Thursday, Rick Perry burnished his latest campaign tactic: easygoing humility.

Enlarge photo by: Bob Daemmrich

Gov. Rick Perry listens to U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann's speech at an event in Waterloo, Iowa, on Aug. 14, 2011.

Your afternoon reading: behind the Perry "train wreck"; Abbott accuses Justice Department of stalling on redistricting; Perry pokes fun at himself in new ad

Enlarge photo by: Bob Daemmrich

Campaign materials for Gov. Rick Perry at the Johnson County Fall BBQ event in Tiffin, Iowa, where Perry spoke on Oct. 7, 2011.

Gov. Rick Perry, looking to get Iowans on board his struggling campaign, has turned to friends at home. About 600 of them, to be precise.

Enlarge photo illustration by: Nicolas Raymond / Todd Wiseman

Could the state’s public universities go through the so-called sunset review process, forcing them to periodically defend their existence to state legislators?