Perry and White are tied in governor's race, says new poll

Giving Texas Democrats a boost in advance of their state convention in Corpus Christi this week, a newly released poll shows that former Houston mayor Bill White has advanced into a tie with incumbent Gov. Rick Perry in his bid to become the first Democratic governor since the mid-1990s.

The survey by Public Policy Polling shows the Republican governor and his Democratic challenger deadlocked at 43-43, erasing a 48-42 lead that Perry held in a PPP survey four months ago.  White made his gains by picking up more independents and cross-over voters than Perry did, said the pollsters.

"Bill White has the potential to give Democrats their biggest bright spot on what will probably overall be a bad election in November," said Dean Debnam, president of the Raleigh, N.C., polling firm.  "A win in the Texas Governor race would be huge for the party and instantaneously make White on of the most prominent Democrats in the country."

The poll also showed that only 10 percent of Texas voters want to see Perry run for president in 2012, compared to 69 percent who prefer that the state's longest-serving governor stay in Texas.  Those sentiments cuts across party-lines, said the pollsters, noting that 61 percent of Republicans are against a Perry run for president.  

Perry's political assaults on Washington, as well as his victory over U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison in the Republican gubernatorial primary in March, has fueled speculation that Perry might run for president, but the governor has repeatedly dismissed the talk, saying he's not interested.

-- Dave Montgomery 

Comments

[Jim Merritt]

Come on Bill keep the pressure on GWB jr. You have my vote plus a lot of my friends votes.

[Alberto Knox]

Wo0t!!!
Go get 'em, Bill.

[Sam]

Please don't embarrass Texas by running Perry. He has the intelligence of a rock. The vote for Bill White is a vote against Perry and his arrogance.

[Alberto Knox]

Bill White wants a debate, says the citizens of Texas deserve at least that much. Perry dodges the question.

Records show that Rick Perry only does 7 hours of scheduled state work a week and almost always takes a long weekend, so we know he has TIME for a debate...

[vix]

anyone on here wanna bet me a thousand that Perry beats him by 2-1 margin or greater?

[Hobart Huffines]

Rick Perry, GW Bush and Joe Barton three gifts from Texas voters that continue to give all Texans a bad name, state wide, nationwide and world wide.

[GREY WOLF]

a vote for bill white is a vote for communism and more blatant criminal activities for the oil bama administration. bill white will be the same thug that obama is if he gets elected so shoot this thug down.

[meyer]

Thats good news if Bill White gets in maybe he can get Texas to become a more progressive state

[Sean]

Tied??? What Texan would vote for a stinking dem? A vote for a dem is a vote against business, it is a vote against continued prosperity and employment and it is a vote for higher taxes and more spending.

Don't be fools. Vote for the Republican.

[Samantha]

Anyone would be better than Pretty Hair Perry.

[M. Addison]

Thank goodness! I thought the Texas governer's mansion was "doomed" to be forever more inhabited by a Republican, but I guess there's hope for my beloved state yet!!

[Bildeberg Perry]

I agree. A vote for White is regrettable (and bad for Texas, look what he did to Houston) but it makes a statement against Perry.

Time for a little payback on what you did to Debra Medina. On the bright side it'll give Perry and his french kissing partner, Glen Beck, more time to get frisky together.

Arrogant piece of excrement.

[peter klingenberg]

Go Bill.we need a full time governor, even if it is one who doesn't worry about perfect hair :-)
Our motto so far has been symbolism over substance so bring us substance

[Sandra J.]

Good luck Bill!

[Ray Davis]

havent you people had enough with democrats yet my god what more damage do you want them to do,texas is a lot better off than most states and that is an understament and you want our state government run the same way as the white house go rick you have my vote and my FRIENDS

[shane]

just what we need, another money grabbing liberal in office so he can try to take down the economy of one of the few states that has weathered the financial turmoil.

[Gene]

Vote for Bill White! Vote for education, not ignorance. Vote for a true patriot, not a loudmouth, willing to trash his own country to win radical primary votes!

[john]

arrogance isn't always a bad thing, especially in todays times... Bet the people posting still have jobs, huh???

[john]

I also would still take GWB jr. over what we have now!!! Lets see what happens to unemployment in Texas when the offshore drilling gets shut down for 6 months...

[DE]

well lets hope the poll is wrong please not Bill

[Jeff]

The last White that was in the govenors mansion nearly bankrupted the state.But I'm sure all you Braintrust that vote for White will want Texas to face the same 4 trillion defecite the US has. Too many carpetbaggers in this state

[Gerald]

You people are idiots if you vote for billy(D).
Have you not had enough of obomas crap???? yet???
Probably not because your sitting on your butt at home drawing a check!!!!!!

[Uglywhiteman]

Go Perry go..... Away that is.

[Ryan]

Come on Bill!! We can do this!

[Barbara]

That's whats up