2012 Presidential Primaries

Obama's Education Secretary Slams Perry's Texas: 'I Feel Very, Very Badly For The Children There'

Eric Kleefeld | August 18, 2011, 10:46AM

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is taking a rhetorical shot at one of President Obama's possible election opponents, slamming the education system in Gov. Rick Perry's home state of Texas.

"Far too few of their high school graduates are actually prepared to go on to college," Duncan said on Bloomberg Television. "I feel very, very badly for the children there."

"You have seen massive increases in class size," Duncan also added. "You've seen cutbacks in funding. It doesn't serve the children well. It doesn't serve the state well. It doesn't serve the state's economy well. And ultimately it hurts the country."

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Rick Perry

CHART OF THE DAY: *Government* Jobs Led To Perry's Economic Boom

Brian Beutler | August 17, 2011, 2:23PM

Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX)

On the campaign trail, governor Rick Perry will claim credit for the so-called Texas miracle. His state weathered the housing and jobs crises better than many others, and he'll happily tell voters it was the result of his small government conservative approach to running things.

But his state's relative success has a lot to do with things out of his control -- population growth resulting from an influx of immigrants from Mexico and of workers and retirees from other U.S. states, and high oil company profits, to name just a couple. Oh, and also federal stimulus.

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Rick Perry

Has A Texas Execution Put Americans Abroad At Risk?

Thomas Lane | July 8, 2011, 5:55AM

Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX)

If the Obama administration's Solicitor-General is to be believed then the State of Texas has just caused "irreparable harm" to America's foreign relations. And if you also heed the warnings of numerous US diplomats and ex-military officials, then it has also jeopardized the safety of countless Americans overseas.

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2012 elections

Poll: Perry Trails Obama In Texas

Eric Kleefeld | June 29, 2011, 3:17PM

Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX)

Texas Gov. Rick Perry has reportedly been eyeing the race for the Republican presidential nomination -- but Texas isn't eyeing him for president, according to new survey from Public Policy Polling (D).

Indeed, the poll shows Perry trailing President Obama in heavily Republican Texas, which last voted Democratic for president in 1976, when Jimmy Carter was the South's favorite son. Obama leads 47%-45%, even though Obama's net approval rating is underwater at 42%-55%. Of course, this could potentially change if Perry actually became the nominee in a real election, but it's not a good starting point.

The poll found Perry's approval rating at only 43%, with 52% disapproval. In addition, the poll asked simply: "Do you think Rick Perry should run for president next year, or not?" The result was only 33% saying he should run, to 59% saying he should not.

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Rick Perry

Poll: Rick Perry Gets No Home State Love In GOP Primary

Jon Terbush | May 24, 2011, 1:03PM

Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX)

There's been much speculation in recent weeks that Texas Governor Rick Perry (R), sensing an opening in the Republican primary field, could be a major player should he throw his hat in the ring. Perry says he's not running, and according to a new University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll of registered voters, that might be the right call. Perry would have a tough time drawing support even from GOP voters in his own state.

Perry polled near the back of the field among a slate of possible GOP contenders, coming in at just 4%, tying him with former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty. Sarah Palin came out on top at 12%, while Newt Gingrich trailed at 11%, and Mike Huckabee -- who announced last week that he wouldn't run -- and Ron Paul tied at 10%. Mitt Romney and Michelle Bachmann both garnered 7% of the vote, and Donald Trump earned 6%.

Only Rick Santorum (3%), Jon Huntsman (1%) and Mitch Daniels (1%) came in behind Perry.

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Texas

TX Teacher Who Accused Girl Of Grieving Over Bin Laden Not Returning To Work

Evan McMorris-Santoro and Melissa Jeltsen | May 9, 2011, 4:17PM

The Texas high school teacher who allegedly told a Muslim girl in his ninth grade algebra class that "I bet that you're grieving" over the death of Osama bin Laden will not be returning to work, a school spokesperson tells TPM.

The teacher was suspended last week after the girl complained about his comments to her, which came the day after bin Laden was killed by American forces in Pakistan. The girl's name has been kept out of reporting on the case, and a spokesperson for the Clear Creek Independent School District would not immediately release the name of the teacher to TPM.

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Osama Bin Laden

TX Teacher Suspended After Telling Muslim Student 'I Bet You're Grieving'

Evan McMorris-Santoro | May 4, 2011, 10:58AM

A Texas high school teacher has been placed on administrative leave following an incident where he allegedly told a 9th grade Muslim girl in his algebra class "I bet that you're grieving" on Monday following the death of Osama bin Laden.

According to one parent at Clear Brook High School in Houston who spoke about the incident to a local ABC affiliate, the teacher also said, "I heard about your uncle's death."

The parent said the student "understood that he was referring about Osama bin Laden being killed and was racially profiling her."

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Texas

FLASHBACK: Texas Dems Fled State In 2003 To Block GOP Re-Redistricting Plan

Brian Beutler | February 17, 2011, 4:38PM

Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX)

As you've probably heard, Wisconsin state Democratic senators are playing hooky to create legislative gridlock and block governor Scott Walker's attempt to roll back public worker rights.

Republican Senate majority leader Scott Fitzgerald countered by dispatching the Sergeant at Arms and the state police to round up Democrats-on-the-lam and herd them back to the Capitol.

Except they're nowhere to be found -- and many of them have reportedly crossed state lines, leaving Fitzgerald powerless.

If you feel like you've seen this all before, it's because you have.

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Tom DeLay

DeLay's Legal Team Files Motion Asking For Retrial

Susan Crabtree | February 10, 2011, 8:00AM

Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX)

It's not like former Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) to give up without a fight, and he's not about to start now.

DeLay's attorneys filed a motion Wednesday asking for a retrial for the hard-charging former Republican House leader, the Houston Chronicle reports. DeLay was convicted in November of money laundering and conspiracy and received a sentence of three years in prison plus 10 years probation.

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2012 elections

PPP Poll: Huckabee Tops 2012 GOP Field In Texas

Jon Terbush | January 19, 2011, 1:23PM

Mike Huckabee

Republicans in Texas want Mike Huckabee as the party's presidential nominee in 2012, with GOP voters there preferring the former Arkansas governor to their own current governor, Rick Perry, by a nearly three to one ratio, according to a new PPP poll.

In the poll, 24% of respondents said Huckabee was their first choice for the party nod. Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich each notched 17%, while Ron Paul and Mitt Romney tied at 10%. Perry trailed the pack at 9% despite being immensely popular with the GOP base in his home state. Sixty-five percent of Republican voters there approve of Perry's job performance, versus 26% who disapprove, according to the poll.

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Stephen Broden

Republican House Candidate: Violent Uprising Is 'On The Table'

Jillian Rayfield | October 22, 2010, 11:44AM

Stephen Broden (R) candidate for TX-30

Stephen Broden, a Republican running for Congress in Texas' 30th District, said he would not rule out a violent overthrow of the government if the midterm elections don't cause a change in government, saying that "our nation was founded on violence" so "the option is on the table."

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Alan Grayson

Grayson's Opponent Boasts Support From Far Right Texas Conservative

Brian Beutler | August 31, 2010, 9:00AM

Republican congressional candidate Daniel Webster

Alan Grayson's GOP opponent Daniel Webster has a thorn in his side. Listed in his official voter guide as a top supporter is a right wing activist named David Barton, who has already come under scrutiny for addressing two white supremacist organizations.

Barton claimed in both circumstances that he was unaware of the group's white supremacist ties. But that doesn't mean he's not possessed of extreme views of his own. From 1998 to 2006, he served as vice-chair of the Texas Republican party, which is notorious for having one of the most zealously conservative platforms in the country.

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Immigration

Texas Gov. Rick Perry To Obama: 1K Troops To The Border, Please!

Christina Bellantoni | August 9, 2010, 2:20PM

Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX)

Texas Gov. Rick Perry today hand-delivered a letter asking President Obama to deploy more troops to the border, saying the administration hasn't done enough to combat the "dire threat" coming from "international drug cartels and transitional gangs."

"The need for border security along the Rio Grande should no longer be underestimated by the federal government, Mr. President," Perry wrote in the letter, which he gave to Obama as the president landed in the Lone Star State for an education speech and some campaign events.

He added, "America cannot have a rational discussion of immigration reform without real, effective border security."

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