The Midday Brief: Oct. 18, 2011

Your afternoon reading:

• "Rick Perry and Mitt Romney have released dueling web videos that focus on the economy ahead of Tuesday night's GOP presidential debate. … Romney's video, meanwhile, is a direct attack on the Texas governor. The video, titled 'The Facts,' accuses Perry of ignoring negative economic data in the Lone Star State and compares him to President Barack Obama. It promotes an anti-Perry website called careerpolitician.com." — Perry, Romney release dueling web videos, The Dallas Morning News

• "To say that Perry has struggled in the debates is an understatement. But the expectations are now so low for him that he could more or less get by with a few brisk, coherent answers that underscore what was supposed to be his main selling point — the Texas jobs record." — 8 things to avoid in the CNN debate, Politico

• "While Ron Paul said attacking other candidates is his 'least favorite thing to do,' he didn't pull any punches Tuesday when talking about fellow GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain's '9-9-9' tax proposal. 'I don't think it's a good plan,' the Texas congressman said on CNN's 'American Morning.' 'I think it's a dangerous plan.'" — Rep. Paul: Cain's ‘9-9-9’ plan is 'dangerous,' CNN

• "Ted Cruz has taken a slight lead over Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst for the U.S. Senate seat to be vacated by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison next year, according to a new poll. The former solicitor general of Texas polled 32 percent of respondents in the survey compared to Dewhurst’s 31 percent. In the poll of Texas GOP voters conducted by Azimuth polling, the margin of error was three percent, indicating that the Cruz-Dewhurst showings weren’t statistically significant enough to call Cruz the frontrunner in the race." — U.S. Senate candidate Cruz edges slightly ahead of Dewhurst in latest poll, Texas Politics

New in The Texas Tribune:

• "The town of Junction recently endured a six-week ban on outdoor watering, during which residents sometimes used bathwater to water lawns. With the prospect of drought becoming a way of life, Junction is searching for solutions." — More Bad News About Texas Drought: End Not in Sight