The Midday Brief: Oct. 15, 2010

The Tribune's interview with Bill White starts at 1 p.m. Gov. Rick Perry's at 3 p.m. Look for a live stream on our home page.

Your afternoon reading:

• "Rice University political scientist Mark Jones isn't ready to stick a fork into Democrat Bill White's campaign for governor, but he does suggest White start thinking about a run for U.S. Senate in 2012." — Rice prof: White should start looking to 2012, Texas Politics

• "State Rep. Larry Taylor is right about the Texas Public Information Act. And he’s absolutely right that the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association cannot keep all the details of a $186 million settlement with a lot of policyholders secret. Those policyholders were angry about the handling of claims after Hurricane Ike." — Editorial: Public has right to know about TWIA settlements, The Galveston County Daily News

• "In a political landscape that grows more treacherous each election, many Texas candidates are doing less to tell voters where they stand." — Candidate issues survey has few takers in Texas races, The Dallas Morning News

New in The Texas Tribune:

• "A surge in Republican enthusiasm nationwide has the GOP hopeful about taking back the U.S. House and, maybe, the U.S. Senate in November. In Texas, that high tide has turned a handful of what are usually considered safe Democratic House seats into live targets." — Democrats Face Challenges in Strong GOP Year