Parties stump in Plano, Houston - GOP rallies the faithful locally; Kirk touts Chronicle's backing

PLANO - Buoyed by new polls showing wide leads in the races for governor and U.S. Senate, the GOP ticket rallied the faithful Sunday and poked fun at the Democratic "dream team."

With early voting set to open Monday statewide, the Democrats, led by former Dallas mayor and U.S. Senate hopeful Ron Kirk, returned the jabs during an appearance in Houston."The genius of the dream team has nothing to do with complexion," Mr. Kirk said outside Houston City Hall. He said each Democratic candidate brings unique skills and interests to the ticket.

Earlier in the day, he received the endorsement of the Houston Chronicle in his race against Texas Attorney General John Cornyn.

If "centuries" seemed like a bit of hyperbole, no one seemed to mind - certainly not Gov. Rick Perry, Mr. Cornyn and the other statewide candidates. With 16 days to go, prodding voters to the polls, especially loyal ones, has become a top priority.

Mr. Perry led the charge, arguing that voters will pick the team with experience, leadership and vision.

"The Democrat party is almost void of experienced leadership, certainly void of vision," he said.

Mr. Kirk, who would be Texas' first black senator if elected, chided Republicans as he described an aborted effort for a GOP "diversity day" at the state convention in Dallas.

"They couldn't do it because, you know, they didn't have anybody," Mr. Kirk said, eliciting chuckles from the crowd mostly comprised of politicians, campaign workers and a large group of inner-city schoolchildren brought to the event in vans.

Several GOP candidates in Plano accused Democrats of trying to "buy" the election, alluding to the millions that Laredo businessman Tony Sanchez has spent from his personal fortune in hopes of defeating Mr. Perry. The governor himself took a different tack, asserting that he has better plans to holding down taxes and improving education.

"Anybody can criticize, but it's a leader that comes up with solutions. If my opponent thinks he'd be a better governor, let him explain why he didn't take the time to vote in the last election," he said, referring to Mr. Sanchez's failure to cast a ballot in the 1998 governor's race, for which he has expressed regret. "Maybe he didn't want to be bothered."

Mr. Perry urged Texans to keep one name in mind when they decide who to vote for: "Daschle."

That's Tom Daschle, the Senate Majority Leader, whom Republicans blame for stymieing much of the president's agenda. Mr. Cornyn picked up on that line of attack.

He jabbed Mr. Kirk for spending so much time earlier in the campaign on out-of-state fund-raising - a tactic Mr. Kirk has defended as the only way to offset the resources and star power President Bush has lavished on Mr. Cornyn.

Mr. Bush has campaigned with him twice and has sent his mother, father, wife, vice president and several top advisers to do the same. Housing Secretary Mel Martinez will become the first Cabinet member to join the list when he stumps in the Rio Grande Valley on Monday with Mr. Cornyn.

"My opponent ... has been spending literally a couple months traveling to places like Hollywood, Martha's Vineyard, Aspen, New York and Washington, D.C., trying to get people to help him in this campaign. The only question is, whose values does he want to represent in Washington, D.C. - Texas values or the values of the special interests that have been helping him?" Mr. Cornyn said. "I think the answer is pretty dadgum clear."

Mr. Kirk, the last candidate to speak at the Houston rally, crowed about the Chronicle endorsement.

"I've got me a new hometown," Mr. Kirk said, beaming. "I knew I wanted those Houston Texans to beat the Cowboys."

The Texans shocked Dallas 19-10 in their NFL opener last month, the first game in the team's history.

The Democratic candidates encouraged the audience to vote and help other Democrats get to the polls.

"If all of you work real, real, hard and get to the polls," Mr. Sanchez said, "I'm going to work very hard for each and every one of you and your family members for the next four years."

The Plano rally drew at least a dozen employees and agents of Farmers Insurance, protesting Mr. Perry's views of the company, which is withdrawing from the Texas homeowners market amid what it says are rising costs and unreasonable regulations.

The protesters identified themselves as Republicans, including customer service representative Sandy Koch of Plano, who has served as a delegate to the state GOP convention and a volunteer in previous Perry campaigns. She wore a "Perry for Lieutenant Governor" button and carried a sign that read, "Perry Using Farmers for Political Gain."

"Because he's afraid of being on the side of 'big insurance,' he's singled out Farmers," she said. "I don't know what I'll do when I get into the voting booth, but I know I won't be voting for him."

The complaints echo Democratic attacks that blame Mr. Perry for skyrocketing insurance rates.

Said Bob Capt, a Farmers agent in Plano, "He's a good guy, but he's playing politics instead of taking care of business."

Mr. Perry didn't meet with the protesters but said after the rally that his "heart goes out" to them, though he blamed Farmers.

"I'd be protesting too if my corporate executives wouldn't come to the table and help me get this insurance crisis resolved," he said. "... We're not going to be cowed by some big corporate entity that thinks they can bluff Texas into folding our tent and letting them go ahead and continue with their unethical and illegal activities."

The Republicans left Plano for similar rallies later Sunday in Denton and Fort Worth.

Mr. Kirk, who would be Texas' first black senator if elected, chided Republicans as he described an aborted effort for a GOP "diversity day" at the state convention in Dallas.

Not that anyone is surprised but this is another bold faced Kirk lie. There was a significant black and other minority presence at the Texas state GOP convention. Several black leaders were promenent speakers in the main caucus presentations and there was a reception specifically for black candidates and deligates (but more than a few of us non-blacks did attend just to be neighborly :).

Apparently something got mixed up in the planning so the press conference that was supposed to go along with that reception never materialized. I suspect that it was a dirty trick on the part of the Dallas Morning News, but maybe someone more in the know can explain the snafu.

Isn't it interesting that the only people that Kirk can get to show up to his rally is his own staff and a bunch of kids that can't vote. I guess Kirk's campaign is really scrapping bottom even with the usual Rats not willing to be seen with him. :)

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