Houston Mayor and U.S. Senate candidate Bill White was in Austin to talk to a group of 75-100 Democrats at Scholz Garten.White was introduced by Austin Rep. Mark Strama. Here's a listen: His speech (21:15)

Elizabeth Ames Jones "is staying in the U.S. Senate race until the last vote is counted," her spokeswoman says, trying to spike Internet rumors that the Republican will drop out.Alicia Collins says the rumors have been dinging around the Internet and around the lobby, but there's nothing to it. Jones, a Texas Railroad Commissioner, is one of several Republicans hoping to win Kay Bailey Hutchison's spot in the Senate after Hutchison leaves. Last week, Jones announced endorsements from former Gov. and First Lady Bill and Rita Clements.

Elsa Murano quit as president of Texas A&M University in College Station under considerable pressure from Chancellor Mike McKinney, and agreed to a severance package that will return her to her tenured professorship after a paid year off, and pay her $295,000 not to sue the school. That, after a very public back-and-forth that included the release of McKinney's harsh evaluation of her work and her harsh rebuttal. She was the first woman and the first Hispanic to head the state's second-largest state university.

R. Bowen Loftin, the chief exec at Texas A&M-Galveston and an engineering professor, will take over as interim president of the main campus in College Station while the regents search for a permanent replacement for Murano.

State District Judge Bill Moody of El Paso might run a third time for the Texas Supreme Court. He got more votes than any other Democrat on the statewide ballot in 2006 but lost to Republican Don Willett. Moody told the El Paso Times he's probably going to run, but didn't say for which seat. Three justices — Scott Brister, Paul Green, and Harriet O'Neill — are up for reelection next year to the nine-member court.

Former Gov. Bill Clements gave $100 million to the UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, to be delivered over four years. "... my single goal is to help encourage and advance scientific discovery and innovation, prepare the next generation of physicians for Texas and the nation, and ensure the delivery of world-class medical care, which I believe uniquely happens at this academic medical center, already recognized as one of the top institutions in this country," he said.

The 62,000-member Texas Federation of Teachers reelected Linda Bridges and John O'Sullivan as president and secretary-treasurer, respectively. Those are two-year terms.

Ray Sullivan returns to Gov. Rick Perry's office, this time as chief of staff. Sullivan will replace Jay Kimbrough, who's staying on as a senior advisor. Sullivan was the spokesman for Perry's 1998 campaign for lieutenant governor, and worked for him in that office and then when Perry became governor. He was also a spokesman for then-Gov. George W. Bush. Sullivan left government in 2002 to run a public relations outfit. His wife, Leslie Rawl Sullivan, is Perry's campaign fundraiser.