The Evening Brief: June 7, 2012

New in The Texas Tribune:

• Perry to GOP Convention: I'm Not Riding Into Sunset: "Gov. Rick Perry, speaking at the state’s Republican convention Thursday, fueled speculation that he’ll run either for re-election in 2014 or for the presidency in 2016, saying he was 'not riding into the sunset' but 'mounting up for the next operation.' … But the reaction was far different when he reasserted his support for Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst in the runoff for U.S. Senate. The crowd roared with boos, some continuing several seconds into Perry's speech, a strong indication that many favor Tea Party candidate and former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz. When asked about the audience's reaction as he made a stop by the Empower Texans booth after his speech to push the budget compact he announced in April, Perry said, 'I thought they were saying "Dewwwww,"' as he walked away."

• Wentworth Lawsuit May Proceed, Judge Rules: "State Sen. Jeff Wentworth’s defamation lawsuit against his former primary challenger Elizabeth Ames Jones — who came in third on May 29 — may proceed, a Bexar County judge ruled Thursday."
• Interactive: Food Insecurity and the Impact of Food Stamps in Texas: Use these interactive maps to compare the level of food insecurity across Texas to the number of Texans who receive federal food stamps and the estimated economic impact of the food assistance funding.
• David Ramirez: The TT Interview: The former U.S. Border Patrol agent who retired as an assistant special agent in charge at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on his new book, Beneath the Same Sky, and his experiences patrolling the border and as an undercover federal agent.

Culled:

• Dewhurst, on booing delegates: ‘There’s always people that may disagree’ (The Dallas Morning News): "Republican Senate front-runner David Dewhurst downplayed boos that greeted the mention of his name Thursday at the Texas GOP convention, saying, 'There’s always people that may disagree.'"
• House speaker candidate campaigning like it’s 2013 (Houston Chronicle): "Rep. Bryan Hughes, a Mineola Republican who plans to challenge House Speaker Joe Straus for the chamber’s top job, has a booth at the state convention with campaign handouts for the race, and his supporters are urging his stickers on folks around the exhibit hall."
• Eddie Bernice Johnson endorses Marc Veasey in race for new seat in Congress (The Dallas Morning News): "Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson today endorsed state Rep. Marc Veasey for the new North Texas seat in Congress. Johnson’s support is critical because she’s perhaps the most popular Democrat in North Texas, and her seal of approval gives the Fort Worth Democrat a boost in his attempt to attract Dallas voters."