The Midday Brief: Aug. 23, 2011

Your afternoon reading:

• "Rick Perry is looking increasingly like the Republican favorite for President — he led in the Iowa poll we released this morning and he leads by double digits in the national poll we'll release tomorrow. The biggest beneficiary of Perry's rise? It might be Barack Obama." — Obama tops Perry, Public Policy Polling

• "The race is pretty close four ways in Iowa but Rick Perry is the new favorite among Republican voters in the state. Among announced candidates he's at 22% to 19% for Mitt Romney, 18% for Michele Bachmann, and 16% for Ron Paul." — Poll: Perry Takes Lead in Iowa, Public Policy Polling

• "Now that Texas' governor is a GOP candidate for president, opinions in his book — that Social Security is unconstitutional, for example — move into the spotlight." — Rick Perry's views on the Constitution get closer scrutiny, Los Angeles Times

• "Be careful what you put in a book — you might decide to run for president one day and have to answer for it.  That’s the pickle facing presidential contender Rick Perry." — Perry’s book “Fed Up!” haunts his campaign, The Washington Post

• "Reports that Rick Perry rewarded campaign donors with state appointments and questionable business development grants did not hurt his gubernatorial re-election campaign in Texas last year, and experts say those resurfacing reports might not be a problem for him on the national stage, either." — Reports unlikely to harm Perry, San Antonio Express-News

• "In its latest 2012 white paper, the anti-tax Club for Growth considers Rick Perry's record and comes away mostly impressed." — Club for Growth mostly warm to Rick Perry, Politico

New in The Texas Tribune:

• "U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin, is quietly exploring a run for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Kay Bailey Hutchison, Republican sources told The Texas Tribune on Tuesday. McCaul — the richest member of Congress — is telling potential supporters that he's prepared to spend $4 million to $6 million of his own money." — GOP Sources: McCaul May Get In Senate Race

• "DAY 23 of our month-long series on the effects of new state laws and budget cuts: The state's prison education system, known as the Windham School District, eliminates or reduces classes for Texas inmates." — 31 Days, 31 Ways: Fewer Classes, Teachers for Incarcerated Texans