The Texas Farm Bureau's political action committee — called AGFUND — endorsed Kay Bailey Hutchison over Rick Perry in the 2010 race for governor, saying they split with the governor on eminent domain and the Trans-Texas Corridor.Perry has won the group's endorsement almost every time he's run for statewide office — the exception coming in 1998, when the group endorsed Democrat John Sharp over Perry for lieutenant governor. Perry won that race and the group endorsed him the first two times he ran for governor. They've endorsed Hutchison every time she has been on the ballot since 1990, when they were encouraged — by Perry — to back her bid for state treasurer. Their strategy was to endorse everyone running against a Hightower, for impact. Perry beat Democrat Jim Hightower and Hutchison defeated Democrat Nikki Van Hightower that year. Steve Pringle, the group's legislative director, said Perry's support of the Trans Texas Corridor and his 2007 veto of an eminent domain bill sealed the deal. They'll back Hutchison, primarily through contact with their 400,000 member families. That includes people who joined the Farm Bureau for traditional reasons and those who are its insurance customers; Pringle said there are about a million voters in the families that get the association's publications. The Farm Bureau didn't endorse in the Democratic primary. "We generally pick one candidate and stay with them as long as they're standing," Pringle said. Standing in the stables of a ranch in Waco gave Hutchison the opportunity to take on "Austin insiders and lobbyists." In a new twist to her stump speech, Hutchison added a call for a cap on campaign contributions and an end to the "revolving door" of lawmakers becoming lobbyists. Currently, there's no limit for campaign contributions in governor's races Texas. This year Hutchison's campaign accepted more than $2.3 million in individual contributions of more than $25,000, according to her July state campaign-finance report. That total included six $100,000 donations, records show. But her average donation amount during the first half of the year was $860. Hutchison didn't suggest where to set the limit. "There have to be some details worked out. But I do think that there should be some amount beyond which we don't go. There shouldn't be the impression that people can buy their way in order for the governor to meet with people," she said. —Elise Hu in Waco and Matt Stiles in Austin contributed to this story.

by Evan Smith, The Texas Tribune During the end-of-show roundtable on yesterday's edition of Meet the Press, in response to a comment by Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne that Rick Perry may win the Republican primary for governor against U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison "because he talked about secession," Republican consultant Mike Murphy — the media darling who has long been close to John McCain — said the following:

"That one line which you're deducing a complete definition of Perry from, who I oppose in that primary, is not the reason he's going to win."

Close observers of the coming Republican battle for the Texas statehouse were left to wonder: Was Murphy, who isn't working for either candidate, really endorsing Hutchison? Was he saying that he thought she was going to lose? And if secession isn't the reason he thinks Perry's going to win, what is?

I emailed those questions to Murphy this morning. While he confirmed that the candidate he supports isn't the incumbent, he seemed to backpedal on his prediction of how the race would turn out. His email:

"I haven't looked at tape or transcript, but I didn't think I made a firm prediction that Perry would that primary. I certainly did not intend to and it is not my view. I think the race is close and could go either way. I thought, at least, that I said that if Perry wins the primary and indeed he might, the TX secession talk will not be the big reason. And I am not saying that as a Perry supporter. I was trying to knock down EJ's distorted point defining [the] GOP solely as Perry and then solely [defining] Perry as a secession issue candidate.

"Anyway, my view is this: I am for Kay. Not sure who wins, I think it will be a tight race; could go either way. I think Perry's strength is that he is a strong campaigner, has the strength of incumbency and is well connected to some key elements of the party base. I think Kay has a wider appeal to the larger electorate and a stronger vision of where the GOP should go in the future. I think she would make the better Governor."

After a week marked by a forensic science commission shakeup and a webcast screw-up, Gov. Rick Perry is drawing fire from all directions in the blogosphere. The captains of the keyboard are also talking about other candidates for office, the race for state GOP chair and what's on the ballot next month. Accusations leveled at a former House Speaker lead off the final section.

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Bad Hair Week

Perry replaced three of his four appointees to the Texas Forensic Science Commission just before the group's scheduled meeting on the case of Cameron Todd Willingham, whose death sentence scientists now say was based on faulty science. (We wrote about it here.) "The exercise of raw power is truly stunning to behold," the Texas Observer's Contrarian says. The blogger later speculates that Perry wanted to delay the commission's conclusions until after the March primary. "Perry's people have made the calculation that taking their lumps now is better than the alternative," the blogger says.

While Grits for Breakfast goes into detail on the subject of the commission's meeting, BurkaBlog weighs in on Perry's reasoning for shuffling the commission: "He was about to be embarrassed, and not just in Texas but nationally." And Off the Kuff wins Headline of the Week award for a post urging a specific course of action by new commission chair, Williamson County District Attorney John Bradley, titled, "It's not too early to reschedule that meeting."

Dog Canyon, who frequently visited Death Row in the '70s and '80s as a Houston Chronicle reporter, says that Perry "may have violated federal law" by obstructing the commission's work. Find more from the same blogger here. And the Houston Chronicle's Texas Politics has (negative) reaction to Perry's decision from opponent Kay Bailey Hutchison.

Various bloggers filed reports following the alleged hacking of the live broadcast of Perry's announcement speech (our take here). The Austin American-Statesman's Postcards was able to tune in, but the Texas Politics was not. Interestingly, the Internet guru referred to Texas Politics by the Hutchison campaign says the explanation offered by Perry's Web person makes sense. However, Burnt Orange Report thinks Perry's team is making up stuff to cover its own error.

Everyone will find out soon enough, because the FBI is looking into it, according to the Dallas Morning News's Trail Blazers, who reminisces about the 1986 Mark White-Bill Clements gubernatorial contest, featuring Karl Rove and a "bug." But In the Pink thinks the FBI agents should look into Willingham case rather than "finding the homeschooled 12-year-old perpetrator who wreaked havoc on Perry's video."

The Chronicle's Texas on the Potomac talks to Texas economists on the topic of Perry's claims about the state's economy. Here's the Cliff's Notes version: Texas is "absolutely" in a recession; things aren't getting better, or worse right now; some places are doing better than others (Austin is faring better than Houston); and, it doesn't look like Texas will be leading the recovery (blame low energy prices).

Burka is indifferent to the long list of endorsements for Perry, saying they are from ultraconservative groups that Perry didn't have to work hard to woo. Elsewhere, Burka slams Perry's purported agenda if re-elected as governor, alleging that Perry is ignoring the basic problems confronting the state. "It's all politics, all the time," Burka says. In a follow-up post, Burka takes the time to respond to a frequent commenter who called him a Democrat. (So for all of you who troll blogs seeking a reaction, there's hope.) In related news, the Observer's Purple Texas labels Burka a "conservative blogger," garnering thanks from Burka in the comments.

Some kudos were given to the Perry campaign this week: One of the newer members of Team Perry, LatinWorks, took home a ton of trophies from the Hispanic Creative Advertising Awards in September, reports the Statesman Business Blog. Meanwhile, the Chronicle's Texas Politics pairs up videos on the bailout released by the Perry and Hutchison campaigns. And the Observer's Forrest for the Trees says Hutchison is either mistaken or lying about climate change legislation.

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Run, Run, Run

Vince Leibowitz of Capital Annex is officially flacking for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Hank Gilbert. Meanwhile, WhosPlayin posts video of U.S. Senate candidate John Sharp and U.S. Congressional candidate Neil Durrance, both Democrats. And Potomac posts a letter from B.A. Bentsen asking for money on behalf of U.S. Senate candidate Bill White.

Burnt Orange turns over the blog to guest poster Kurt Kuhn, who is a Democrat running for Texas' Third Court of Appeals and is holding a fundraiser at an Austin establishment on Wednesday, hosted by local politicos including Sen. Kirk Watson and most of the Austin-area Democratic state Reps. And U.S. Rep. Pete Olson talks NASA, heath care reform and cap-and-trade legislation with folks during a live-chat hosted by Potomac.

The Statesman's First Reading puts together its version of "The endangered list" of five House members facing tough re-election challenges. (We'll mesh the blogger's list with our Texas Weekly Index ratings of district competitiveness ­— the closer to zero the number is, the more competitive the district will be in a general, in theory.) Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, is facing a primary challenge from former Tyler Mayor Joey Seeber (TWI of 40.7 in the GOP's favor, making it a March and not a November race). Rep. Kristi Thibaut, D-Houston, could be in a rematch against former Rep. Jim Murphy, R-Houston (TWI of 9.5 in the GOP's favor). Rep. Dwayne Bohac, R-Houston, is involved in a controversy involving Harris County voter registration (TWI of 15.1 in the GOP's favor). Rep. Linda Harper-Brown, R-Irving, has drawn a Democratic opponent, Loretta Haldenwang (TWI of 8.3 in the GOP's favor). Rep. Terri Hodge, D-Dallas, is fending off an indictment and a primary challenger named Eric Johnson (TWI of 61.2 in the Democrats' favor; March, not November). In the last contest, Johnson is claiming to have raised more than $100,000 since the last report in July, Trail Blazers reports.

Rep. John Davis, R-Houston, has drawn an opponent from his right, Bay Area Houston notes. The blogger doesn't think Mary Huls has a serious chance at beating Davis, but will goad him into dragging the sack during the primary season. Latino-oriented blog La Plaza hosts a post by Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, who has his own blog called Poli-Tex.

Eye on Williamson links to a Texans for Public Justice report on Texas campaign finance in 2008, called Money in PoliTex (which presumably has no relation to either the Martinez Fischer's Poli-Tex or the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's PoliTex). And former Statesman reporter Bob Elder posts parts of his responses to the candidate questionnaire for Employee Retirement System of Texas trustee.

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Open Chair

The Statesman's Postcards talks to the Texas Eagle Forum's Cathie Adams, who is running for the chairmanship of the Texas GOP. (The screaming you hear is coming from TFN Insider.) Postcards also touches base with consultant Craig Murphy, who says that former Texas Secretary of State Roger Williams isn't interested in that position.

Pointing out that the chair and vice-chair of the party can't be of the same gender, Texas Politics says GOP vice-chair and male Robin Armstrong doesn't want to be the leader, either. That means only females need apply for the job left open by Tina Benkiser's departure. Melinda Fredricks, from SD-4, threw her name in the hat on the day Benkiser's resignation was official.

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Amend Corner

Blue Dot Blues prints a little something on each of the 11 constitutional amendments on the November 3 ballot. Check them all out here. Off the Kuff points us to a similar project by Rep. Scott Hochberg, D-Houston, who links to even more info. Red Ink: Texas has summaries of all the amendments, with some editorializing on the side.

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Potpourri

Texans for Public Justice is going after former House Speaker Tom Craddick for allegedly sneaking money, illegally, to Democrats he liked, according to Texas Watchdog. In other legal news, Ellis County Observer's Joey Dauben is out of jail, but he hasn't gotten his computer equipment back from law enforcement, so stay tuned.

Tex Parte Blog was in the audience for a talk at SMU by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who weighed in on the value (or lack of value) of oral arguments before the court. Watchdog links to resources on Texas' open records laws and transportation spending. And TFN Insider castigates designated state school board social studies expert David Barton for writing (twice) in a report that middle-schoolers should learn about "Rosa Parks at the lunch counter." It was a bus, children.

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This edition of Out There was compiled and written by Patrick Brendel, who hails from Victoria but is semi-settled in Austin. We cherry-pick the state's political blogs each week, looking for news, info, gossip, and new jokes. The opinions here belong (mostly) to the bloggers, and we're including their links so you can hunt them down if you wish. Our blogroll — the list of Texas blogs we watch — is on our links page, and if you know of a Texas political blog that ought to be on it, just shoot us a note. Please send comments, suggestions, gripes or retorts to Texas Weekly editor Ross Ramsey.

by Elise Hu, The Texas Tribune U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, speaking in Waco on Monday, called for limits on campaign contributions in state races.

El Paso's Bill Moody, a state district judge who ran unsuccessfully for the Texas Supreme Court in 2006, will run for the seat held by Republican Justice Paul Green next year. Moody, a Democrat, fell short four years ago — losing to Republican Don Willett — but out-performed every other Democrat running on a statewide ticket that year. Moody came in with 44.8 percent that year. Since then, his son has joined the state Legislature: Joe Moody successfully ran for a spot in the Texas House, winning what had been a Republican seat. Now, both Moodys will be on the ticket.

by Julian Aguilar, contributing writer, The Texas Tribune In a place where a surname could carry with it perks that range from getting out of a speeding ticket to a landslide election victory, a newcomer from the Rio Grande Valley with name recognition is insisting he is his own man.

His opponent, a two-time candidate married to a former elected official, is also taking steps to be an independent voice despite the benefits that come with name-dropping in Texas politics.

Sergio Muñoz, Jr., 27, is the son of former Rep. Sergio Muñoz. He will face Sandra Rodriguez, the wife of former state District Judge Fernando Mancias, in his bid to replace embattled Rep. Ismael "Kino" Flores, D-Palmview.

Flores announced last month he would not seek reelection for another term in HD-36 following his indictment by a Travis County grand jury for allegedly failing to disclose required information on personal finance statements.

In the world of Texas border politics where patronismo — the long-standing tradition of bully politics and quid-pro-quo campaigns — runs rampant, Muñoz Jr. realizes he is prone to attacks accusing him of being from the old guard.

Not so, he said.

"The decision to run was made on my own and I am thankful to have the support of my family," he said from his law office in Edinburg.

Rodriguez could be considered the savvy veteran in the race after losing the 2008 Democratic Primary to Flores by less than 1,000 votes, or about four percent.

The former school-board trustee for the Pharr-San Juan Alamo Independent School District said that one aspect of patronismo politics has taken a back seat this time, with Flores out of the running.

"People are not intimidated anymore," she said. "People will sit down and talk to me."

Rodriguez' experience as a candidate has at least one Rio Grande Valley heavyweight predicting she will be part of 2011's freshman class.

"While he (Muñoz) has some name recognition, it's his first time running and so he's going to have to get organized pretty quickly," said State Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, D-McAllen. "The additional plus is that she's a woman," he added.

"Here in Hidalgo County women tend to vote for women," Hinojosa said. "It's just a trend that's taking place here in South Texas. You look at the (Thirteenth) Court of Appeals. Out of six judges, five are women."

He stopped short of endorsing anyone and said he would support the eventual Democratic candidate. He cautioned, however, against leaning too much on the "double-edged sword" of a familiar political name.

"It could be positive or it could be negative, but my take is that people will associate Sergio Muñoz Jr. with his dad," he said. The perceived allegiance in the district between the Muñoz and Flores families might not bode well for the younger candidate either, he added.

"They could be very loyal to Rep. Flores and probably follow his lead but at the same time, as we all know, Rep. Flores has some issues," said Hinojosa.

Muñoz said he plans to reach out to state Reps. Eddie Lucio III, the San Benito Democrat and son of Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., and Solomon Ortiz Jr., D-Corpus Christi, the son of U.S. Rep. Solomon Ortiz Sr. Those lawmakers have been able to make their own paths, he said.

Married to a former state district judge, Rodriguez also could depend on a proven ballot name. She's chosen not to, using her name instead of his.

"Going back to the patrón system, there were men who had a hard time supporting me to run with the Rodriguez last name," she said. "They kept telling me, 'You need Mancias to win. You need Mancias.' I've been out there and I've always been Sandra Rodriguez."

Next year's primary election will likely determine the seat, despite a new effort by the Republican Party of Texas to convince Hispanics in traditionally Democratic districts to look its way.

Texas GOP Executive Director Eric Opiela, a native of South Texas, conceded the party could be more proactive, particularly on the border, and that putting forth a winning Republican candidate in HD-36 next year was more than a long shot. But fans of Spanish-language media outlets should expect to hear more messages from the GOP that it is the party that best represents Hispanic values.

And in a move reiterating that name-dropping is not just enlisted by Hispanic Democrats, Opiela said the Texas GOP has recruited George Prescott Bush, grandson of Bush (41) and nephew of Bush (43) to deliver Spanish-language messages on Univision stations across the state.

Add to that a small list of "shining stars" already in the Rio Grande Valley, like Cameron County Judge Carlos H. Cascos, and GOP prospects are improving along the border, Opiela said.

Hinojosa sees no cause for alarm.

"I think Republicans have shot themselves in the foot," he said. "When they criticize the immigration policies their shots are so broad that they don't differentiate between Hispanics who are here legally and those who are not."

A year before the 2000 General Election, Bush held a slight advantage – about 2 percent – among Texas' Latino voters over Vice President Al Gore, according a poll conducted by the Willie C. Velasquez Institute. At the ballot box during the General election, however, Bush landed only 33 percent of that vote to Gore's estimated 66 percent. Later, Bush's support for construction of the border fence enraged many Texas Hispanics and contributed to the president's plummeting approval ratings his second term.