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By Lee McGuire / 11 News LA MARQUE, Texas -- The La Marque City Manager has confirmed Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison plans to officially jump into the Texas Governor’s race on Monday morning with an announcement at La Marque High School. City Manager Eric Gage says Hutchison chose La Marque as the location for her 8 ... Full story

By JAY ROOT  / Associated Press   Gov. Rick Perry's income surpassed $1 million for the first time in 2007, the year he sold a piece of lakefront property for more than triple the purchase price, documents provided Monday to The Associated Press show. Perry, in state elective office since 1985, earns a yearly government salary of $111,000. But the longtime Texas governor has made a relative fortune ... Full story

Texas Sen. John Cornyn, accusing the White House of compiling an "enemies list," has asked President Barack Obama to stop an effort to collect "fishy" information Americans see about a health care overhaul. Cornyn, who leads the Republicans' Senate campaign effort, said Wednesday in a letter to Obama that he's concerned that citizen engagement on the issue could be "chilled." He also expressed alarm that the ... Full story

Houston lawyer Ted Cruz, who was the state's chief talker in courtrooms for 5 1/2 years, announced today he's raised more than $1 million for his campaign for Texas attorney general. Cruz, 38, who was Texas' first Hispanic solicitor general, doesn't like to talk about the hurdles that may await Hispanics running in statewide Republican primaries. He says a Hispanic "absolutely" can win. Click here ... Full story

AUSTIN, Texas -- As Gov. Rick Perry and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison head toward an epic primary showdown in the race to be Texas governor, the two haven’t been able to agree on much lately. But the two GOP powerhouses were able to find common ground in at least one area Wednesday: their opposition to the popular “cash for clunkers” federal stimulus program. Click here ... Full story

THE WOODLANDS – Never elected to office before, a Texas businesswoman is taking on two of the state’s political giants who are already in a contentious gubernatorial race for the Republican primary. But, Debra Medina is not scared and says the state needs a Texan in the governor’s office, not “elitist politicians.” Click here to read more... ... Full story

THE WOODLANDS – More than 100 supporters turned out to help kick off Gov. Rick Perry’s re-election campaign last week. Perry is facing challenges from U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and businesswoman Debra Medina in the gubernatorial Republican primary. Click here to read more... Full story

by Former Rep. Martin Frost I received an e-mail from one of my law partners in Denver recently asking me about Houston Mayor Bill White, who was in town raising money. Basically, my partner wanted to know who White is and why he is running for U.S. Senate as a Democrat in a reliably Republican state for a vacancy that did not yet exist. The answer is ... Full story

Texas bicyclists are still miffed that a gubernatorial veto knocked out their signature issue. And many were upset last week when they learned one of the persons urging Gov. Rick Perry to veto their "safe passing" bill was the father of a young man facing involuntary manslaughter charges for running over two cyclists last summer. Texas cyclists are collecting petition signatures informing Perry that they will ... Full story

AUSTIN — U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison began this year as “Kay the Invincible.” But as she prepares to officially launch her bid for governor later this month, that aura is gone. Hutchison entered the year with the ability to make other politicians quake. She had two re-election victories under her belt with more than 60 percent of the vote in each. Her popularity ratings in ... Full story

The National Republican Senatorial Committee has not endorsed anyone in New Hampshire, but they are making little secret of which candidate they want to win the nomination. Former Attorney General Kelly Ayotte (R), who resigned last month in order to explore a race, will benefit from a fundraiser at NRSC headquarters on Sept. 22, according to an invitation for the event. Click here to read ... Full story

The health care reform battle that's been raging in Washington is now being fought in communities across the country. House members' summer break began 2 days ago, and Senators take a month off beginning Friday. With them at home for the recess, grassroots troops are being called up to the front lines. KERA's Bill Zeeble reports on north Texas efforts from both sides. Click ... Full story

AUSTIN — U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison began this year as “Kay the Invincible.” But as she prepares to officially launch her bid for governor later this month, that aura is gone. Hutchison entered the year with the ability to make other politicians quake. She had two re-election victories under her belt with more than 60 percent of the vote in each. Her popularity ratings in ... Full story

AUSTIN — She's no longer his campaign manager nor his chief of staff, but Texas Transportation Commission Chairwoman Deirdre Delisi remains one of Gov. Rick Perry's biggest boosters. From an appearance at a campaign volunteer summit to behind-the-scenes advice (revealed in one case when the notation “quote from DD” was left on a Perry spokesman's e-mail), Delisi is there for the governor who named her to ... Full story

When U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison said last week that she plans to resign her Senate seat in October or November, political ears pricked up across the state and in Washington. No matter that it was only a slight change in her previous statements; she had previously made clear several times that she was likely to resign this fall. Click here to read more and ... Full story

WASHINGTON – In the annals of Texas politics, no one ever lost an election with tough talk aimed at criminals, protecting gun rights or bringing civilization to the rural folk. There must be an election coming up, because Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison has hit all those crowd pleasers lately, and more. Click here to read the rest of this article ... Full story

AUSTIN — U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison began this year as “Kay the Invincible.” But as she prepares to officially launch her bid for governor later this month, that aura is gone. Hutchison entered the year with the ability to make other politicians quake. She had two re-election victories under her belt with more than 60 percent of the vote in each. Her popularity ratings in ... Full story

As long as U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison has "U.S. Sen." in front of her name, she will face sticky situations that cause people back home to try to read her mind. The latest is her decision to vote against confirming Sonia Sotomayor as the nation's first Hispanic Supreme Court justice. Life, like politics, often isn't fair. Hutchison has solid cover for her decision, including a ... Full story

McALLEN, Texas — U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas explained to a ballroom of Hispanic small business owners Friday that she would not vote to confirm the country's first Hispanic Supreme Court justice next week out of concern for protecting gun ownership rights. The National Rifle Association has dubbed Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor "hostile" to the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.... Full story

AUSTIN, Texas -- A Web site for U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison contained hidden phrases including "rick perry gay." So Gov. Rick Perry's campaign is accusing the Hutchison team of being slanderous and of setting a negative and divisive tone. Full story