By Bill Zeeble, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-882688.mp3
Dallas, TX –
The three GOP gubernatorial candidates face off for the 2nd time in a statewide TV debate broadcast tonight at 7. KERA's Bill Zeeble talks with Southern Methodist University's Political Science Professor Cal Jillson about what to expect.
Bill Zeeble: What did you take away from the last time that you're looking to see if anything is sticking this time?
Cal Jillson, SMU Political Science Professor: I think the 2nd debate will certainly go to school on the first debate, and hone in on weaknesses each candidate displayed the first time around. For Perry its jobs. He wants to say Texas is far better off than the rest of the country and that we created most of the jobs in 2008, created in the nation. So I expect someone to ask "What about 2009?" What about early 2010?" We're losing jobs. If you deserve praise for the earlier job creation, you must deserve blame for losing jobs. Make him talk about the current state of the Texas economy and what he's going to do to improve it. I think Kay Bailey Hutchison after all these years has to be able to give an answer on the abortion question that is acceptable to the Republican primary electorate. She certainly did not do that in the first debate. She must in the 2nd.
Zeeble: And what about Debra Medina?
Jillson: What Debra Medina has to do is continue to intrigue all of those people who register not as Democrats or Republicans but as Independents, and not jus the Tea Party independents but solid non partisan people who think their state and their country is in trouble and that neither party is dealing with it. Because she is " neither party." She's other, she's independent.
Zeeble: Are National Republican Leaders Watching This Race in Texas?
Jillson: The national Republican leadership is excited by what they see across the country, not only Texas. What they need to figure out is whether or not the candidate on the right, who appeals to the Tea Party movement, that being Rick Perry as well as Deb Medina, but Perry, whether that move to the right is the future of the Republican party or is it a more moderate future where you're trying to win the independent voters in the middle. The suburban women voters who care about education and care about health care which is what Hutchison is trying to do. I think the leadership of the Republican party nationally is looking at Texas to see if Perry wins it going away by playing to the right wing of Republican base. Or does Hutchison come up to win by appealing to the moderates, the suburban women, expand the electorate.
Zeeble: Talk about what Democrats are looking for in this debate.
Jillson: What Bill White and Farouk Shami will be looking for, the two leading candidates on the Democratic side, is they'll be looking for Perry to continue in his lead and to win the Republican nomination. They want to face him because that leaves the middle wide open and they can contest for it. Trying to pin Perry over on the right, and say Texas is better than a lot of other states are, but we have a lot of work to do in education, health care, prisons, roads, all kind of things. I think if Democrats run against Kay Bailey Hutchison they feel like she's already moving toward the middle and that'll give them less opportunity so I think they're very much hoping they'll face Rick Perry.
KERA Public Radio will carry tonight's GOP debate live beginning at 7. In North Texas, it'll be televised by WFAA.