Tuesday’s gubernatorial primary proved to be somewhat anti-climatic. While the Democratic primary got little attention and wasn’t terribly competitive, the Republican primary between Gov. Rick Perry, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and activist Debra Medina had been billed as the political battle of the century, with the possibility that Medina could throw the fight into extra rounds by forcing a run-off.
In the end, voters still saw a nasty and expensive primary, but it fell short of the bruising slugfest most had predicted. Although Medina took 18 percent of the vote, she didn’t force a run-off as Perry took 51 percent and Hutchison fell far short of expectations at 30 percent. Hutchison’s candidacy seemed doomed almost from the start. Citing Hutchison’s 17-year tenure in the Senate, Perry attacked her early and often as a creature of Washington and a symbol of all its problems. Apart from going after Perry for being the state’s longest serving Governor who is now seeking a third full term, Hutchison never seemed to find a message that resonated with voters. It didn’t help that she appeared
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