Texas voters go to the polls Tuesday to choose Republican and Democratic candidates for governor in what could be one of the highest turnouts for a primary in state history.
State statistics show 491000 voters statewide or 6 of total registered voters cast ballots early for the governors primaries. In particular the Republican primary has drawn heavy interest with two popular candidates squaring off against each other.
The turnout is nearly double the number of early votes cast in the states previous gubernatorial primaries.
Usually only 5 of registered voters cast their vote in a primary says Chris Turner an Austin-based Republican strategist. That includes early voters and those who show up on election day. Early voters have already surpassed that figure he says.
Youre already beyond what would be a traditional primary Turner says. Turnout has been explosive just off the charts.
The most closely watched race has been the Republican primary which has pitted incumbent Gov. Rick Perry against U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.
Republicans have held the governors seat since 1995.
Perry who is vying for his second re-election has portrayed Hutchison as a Washington insider gaining a double-digit lead over her in polls says Ross Ramsey managing editor of The Texas Tribune a non-profit political website.
Hutchison meanwhile has accused Perry of cronyism and assigning friends to key posts.
A recent Rasmussen Report survey found Perry with 48 of the vote to Hutchisons 27. Debra Medina a candidate politically aligned with Libertarians is in third place with 16.
A candidate needs 50 of the vote to win outright. If not a runoff between the top two vote-getters will be held April 13.
A former Air Force pilot Perry 59 joined the state Legislature in 1984. He became lieutenant governor in 1998 and took over the governors office two years later when George W. Bush was elected president. Perry was elected to the seat in 2002 and re-elected in 2006.
A popular name in Texas politics Hutchison 66 became the first Republican woman elected to the state House of Representatives in 1972. A former TV broadcaster she was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1993 becoming the only woman ever elected to represent Texas in the Senate according to her campaign.
The winner of the Republican race will face off against either Bill White the Democratic front-runner and former Houston mayor or businessman Farouk Shami in November.
Texas voters go to the polls Tuesday to choose Republican and Democratic candidates for governor in what could be one of the highest turnouts for a primary in state history.
State statistics show 491000 voters statewide or 6 of total registered voters cast ballots early for the governors primaries. In particular the Republican primary has drawn heavy interest with two popular candidates squaring off against each other.
The turnout is nearly double the number of early votes cast in the states previous gubernatorial primaries.
Usually only 5 of registered voters cast their vote in a primary says Chris Turner an Austin-based Republican strategist. That includes early voters and those who show up on election day. Early voters have already surpassed that figure he says.
Youre already beyond what would be a traditional primary Turner says. Turnout has been explosive just off the charts.
The most closely watched race has been the Republican primary which has pitted incumbent Gov. Rick Perry against U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.
Republicans have held the governors seat since 1995.
Perry who is vying for his second re-election has portrayed Hutchison as a Washington insider gaining a double-digit lead over her in polls says Ross Ramsey managing editor of The Texas Tribune a non-profit political website.
Hutchison meanwhile has accused Perry of cronyism and assigning friends to key posts.
A recent Rasmussen Report survey found Perry with 48 of the vote to Hutchisons 27. Debra Medina a candidate politically aligned with Libertarians is in third place with 16.
A candidate needs 50 of the vote to win outright. If not a runoff between the top two vote-getters will be held April 13.
A former Air Force pilot Perry 59 joined the state Legislature in 1984. He became lieutenant governor in 1998 and took over the governors office two years later when George W. Bush was elected president. Perry was elected to the seat in 2002 and re-elected in 2006.
A popular name in Texas politics Hutchison 66 became the first Republican woman elected to the state House of Representatives in 1972. A former TV broadcaster she was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1993 becoming the only woman ever elected to represent Texas in the Senate according to her campaign.
The winner of the Republican race will face off against either Bill White the Democratic front-runner and former Houston mayor or businessman Farouk Shami in November.
