The Midday Brief: July 26, 2011

Your afternoon reading:

• "Even if Iowans won't see the words 'Rick Perry' on the ballot in the upcoming Iowa Straw Poll, they'll be hearing the Texas governor's name all over the airwaves." — Radio ad pushes Perry write-in at Iowa Straw Poll, Trail Blazers

• "Even as the Republican presidential contenders zigzag through Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, an uncertain and potentially unwieldy primary schedule in subsequent states is alarming party leaders, who fear that the voting could start earlier, last longer and complicate efforts to confront President Obama next year." — Primary Calendar Stirs Republican Anxiety, The New York Times

• "The Republican Party may be recalibrating its approach to gay marriage at the highest level since embracing the spirit of the tea party, with its deep mistrust of the federal government and support for states' rights." — Perry, Conservatives and Gay Marriage: An Evolving View?, RealClearPolitics
  

• "A leading booster of the University of Texas has written a testy letter to the chairman of its governing board demanding that he stand up for the school's president." — Booster urges top regent to stand up for UT president, Austin American-Statesman

New in The Texas Tribune:

• "A prediction that one of the most notorious cartels operating on the Texas-Mexico border could soon meet its demise was premature, according to a new report on Mexican cartels, which now predicts violence will continue." — As Mexico Boasts of Security Gains, Analysts Say Expect More Violence

• "In the wake of well-documented budget woes, the state legislature took a more than 9 percent chunk out of higher education in the recent session. Some schools have responded by raising tuition, and others may soon do the same." — Texplainer: Will Budget Cuts Mean Higher University Tuition?