February 05, 2009
Is KBH overstating her support?

Evan Smith says not everyone whom Kay Bailey Hutchison says is supporting her for Governor is actually supporting her for Governor.


Ever since Kay Bailey Hutchison semi-kicked-off her race for governor in Austin a couple of Saturdays ago, I've been hearing from people not connected with the Perry campaign that several of the folks on her now-famous list of supporters were not, in fact, committed to her campaign. One such uncommitted soul, former Austin mayor Roy Butler, approached me at a gala for UT's Blanton Museum on Saturday night and explained that he's been a donor to both Kay and Rick -- has had fundraisers for both, in fact -- and never intended to take sides in the primary. He couldn't believe his name was used, he said, without being asked first.

There were two other possibilities as well, though neither could be confirmed sufficiently to be named. In a sense, this is a small thing - nobody really cares, or is likely to vote for KBH or Rick Perry, based on whether or not Roy Butler was planning to vote for one or the other. But claiming to have someone's support when you don't, especially if it starts to look like a pattern rather than a one-off mistake, is the sort of thing that can make an otherwise undecided voter turn against you. And you can be sure if there's anything to this (and likely even if there isn't), Rick Perry will club her with it. So keep an eye on this, because it could easily turn into the kind of "candidate stumbles" narrative that the press loves about putative frontrunners.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on February 05, 2009 to Election 2010
Comments

Oh what a tangled web we weave...

Maybe she just assumed if they wrote a check that they were "endorsing" her. After all these years, she should know better. One has to wonder who the Houstonian is. Probably Ned Holmes. Who has crossed the line between Democrat and Republican so much with his checkbook that you might wonder if he mistook her for the Democratic candidate.

And Ed Wulfe is a Republican?

The real question is why anyone would want Phil Gramm on a list of supporters.

Posted by: Baby Snooks on February 5, 2009 8:18 AM

I'll tell you one thing, it never looks good when you claim one thing and in reality the story is entirely opposite of what you tell everyone else. I believe that's called lying, and I'm pretty sure this isn't the first time Kay has pulled this kind of stunt. Anybody remember when Kay said she had secured extra help from FEMA for Ike victims? Only to have FEMA reps call her on the Bull Crap. Well, here we go again except this time she's putting people's names on the line. Not what you'd expect for someone who would aspire to be the Governor of Texas.

Posted by: Macho Man on February 5, 2009 12:14 PM

I wouldn't read too much into it, as a similar thing happened in the Bacarisse - Emmett primary battle. Both men basically assumed that those that help support them in the past would again in the future, so they issued similar name lists at the onset. But once the rubber hits the road (stories like this one) you can bet they don't want to see that pattern emerging, so KBR and Perry are calling these people to double check. Repubs whom don't take a dog in that fight publicly are spineless.

Posted by: TAN on February 5, 2009 12:56 PM
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