If a strong Libertarian or Tea Party candidate runs here White really has a chance. Wouldn't it be great if Medina ran as the Tea Party candidate here? Is it too late to qualify for the ballot?

it takes a ridiculous number of signatures from people who didn't vote in either primary for a third party petition

The poll numbers right now are definitely unnerving, but given Perry's impressive comeback victory in the primary, he should not be underestimated. Incidentally, I got a big kick out of Medina saying that there would be runoff between her and Perry after Hutchison conceded.

I wouldn't really call it a comeback; the GOP primary voters were never going to pick a woman without exceptionally strong, clear anti-abortion and anti-gay rhetoric over a man, let alone one who was an incumbent and fed flames popular with the base like that secession nonsense.

Oh I disagree. Perry was in deep trouble early on in this primary and just months ago, it didn't seem to matter what GOP primary voters' stereotypical preference would have been.

Perry is really stinking it up here.

Seriously. One of the best Republican environments in a long time and the incumbent Republican governor of TEXAS is only leading his opponent by 4 points? And in Rasmussen, no less? Perry sucks.

And if Perry wins, you guys will be mourning a lost opportunity. Seriously, guys. All politics is local. You can make a big deal out of the national political climate, but Rick Perry has been governor for almost ten years- thats a long record to run away from.

What lost opportunity? It's not as if the Democrats nominated a sacrificial lamb here.

The pressure is now on the Democrats. This is their best chance to win the Texas governorship in a long time. If they don't, I'll be doing my best Ralph Kramden har-har-har-dee-har-har imitation. I think it was actually foolish of Perry to run for another term. Voters tend to get pretty sick of their governors after a decade, and the recession doesn't help either.

Maybe there's something to this Perry fatigue I've been hearing about. Give this poll the Rasmussen Republican bias adjustment and they're tied.

Interesting. I don't know much about Texas, but I'm sure it has plenty of wealth to redistribute and old people to kill.

"If they don't, I'll be doing my best Ralph Kramden har-har-har-dee-har-har imitation." And of course no one will care, as 97% of this site, including most Democrats, think Perry will win.

You lost the governorship of one of the reddest states in America against an incumbent in a Republican wave year! Egg on your face!

Oh, I don't think you really believe that, John. Surely more than 3% of people on this site have got to be somewhat emboldened in light of Perry's unspectacular numbers.

I would consider that figure stale now.

OK, let's give you a fresh one...

It's definitely eyebrow-raising to have Rasmussen polling the race so close, but I will continue to believe any hyped Democratic statewide candidate in Texas will receive the Chellie Pingree Award for Heightened Expectations until proven otherwise.

Bill White should not be compared to Pingree because he is not being overhyped. Unlike Pingree, not many think he will win and is actually polling and fundraising extremely well.

Some people are going to vote a certain way just to make me look bad. So this gague does not pass the laugh test. Sorry.

4/20 isn't until tomorrow, Trident.

Some people are going to vote a certain way just to make me look bad. So this gague does not pass the laugh test. Sorry. Well in the predictions part of this page that determines points, 33 users are predicting Rick Perry and 2 are predicting Bill White.

Very well then. I declare my only personal moratorium on voting in polls.

Some people are going to vote a certain way just to make me look bad. Like how you voted for White to make yourself look good? Just admit when you're wrong.