Perry's Legal Troubles a Topic of Debate in Kansas

Gov. Rick Perry’s indictment has dominated headlines in Texas, of course. It’s also popped up in Kansas’ gubernatorial election, of all places.

According to The Wichita Eagle, Perry’s friendship with Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback came up in a recent debate at the Kansas State Fair.

Brownback spent part of the debate linking his Democratic challenger, state Rep. Paul Davis, to President Obama.

Davis responded, “If you want to make this election about who I supported for president, you might take a look at your last selection for president. He’s under indictment right now in Texas.”

Davis was referring to Brownback’s support for Perry’s presidential run in 2012. According to the paper, though, Perry’s legal issues are of no concern to Brownback. Perry plans to be in Wichita next week to appear at a Brownback fundraiser.

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The president of the McAllen Chamber of Commerce is not happy about the recent bad press about his home region on account of the surge of unaccompanied children and the subsequent activation of up to 1,000 National Guard troops.

His solution? The state should pay for it.

The McAllen Monitor quoted Steve Ahlenius as saying, “I think it would be much more helpful if the state took money out of the marketing fund to help promote the region in light of all the negative things that have been said over the last four or five months.”

He told the paper he is raising the issue now in advance of next year’s legislative session.

He said the region has been harmed not just by the deployment but also by remarks in recent years by statewide officials that have cast the Valley in a negative light.

“When you think of National Guard deployment, you think of places like Ferguson, Missouri,” Ahlenius told the paper. “Lawlessness and unrest is the wrong image to send about this region.”

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Former state Rep. Delwin Jones is back home after being hospitalized for what he says now was a heart attack, according to a report from Lubbock’s Fox 34 TV station.

Jones, 90, had run in the special election to succeed Robert Duncan in SD-28 and had thrown his name in the ring for the HD-83 seat being vacated by Charles Perry.

Perry won the SD-28 special election, and South Plains GOP leaders selected Dustin Burrows for the HD-83 ballot.

Jones was hospitalized at the end of August, sidelining him in the run-up to the SD-28 election. Jones was first elected to the Texas House 50 years ago as a Democrat. More recently, he represented HD-83 for 22 years as a Republican.

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Here’s the week in fundraising:

• U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, has raised his profile on the fundraising circuit ahead of the midterms. According to a report in Politico, he is leading a new joint effort among Republican groups to raise $3 million for electoral efforts in battleground states. The story noted that he is kicking in $350,000 from his campaign account and is helping raise another $1 million.

• Last week, we reported on a Republican outside group, the American Action Network, spending more than $1 million along with its affiliated super PAC to defeat Pete Gallego in CD-23, the state’s only swing congressional district.

The Dallas Morning News reported this week that the National Republican Congressional Committee has bought another $613,225 in ads for the GOP challenger, Will Hurd.

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Here’s the week in endorsements:

• Republican governor candidate Greg Abbott: National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF)

• Republican lieutenant governor candidate Dan Patrick: TEXPAC, political arm of the Texas Medical Association; National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF)

• Republican state comptroller candidate Glenn Hegar: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz; HOMEPAC, the political arm of the Texas Association of Builders

• Republican Railroad Commission candidate Ryan Sitton: Manufacturers PAC of Texas (MPACT), political arm of the Texas Association of Manufacturers

• Republican HD-23 candidate Wayne Faircloth: Texas Municipal Police Association (TMPA)

• Republican HD-107 state Rep. Kenneth Sheets: Manufacturers PAC of Texas (MPACT), political arm of the Texas Association of Manufacturers

• Potential Republican SD-18 candidate Lois Kolkhorst: U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R- Austin; Texas Southwestern and Cattle Raisers Association

• Potential Republican SD-18 candidate Gary Gates: former U.S. Rep. Ron Paul