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(Image source: The Austin Chronicle)
BY ZACH TOOMBS
It's the end of an era in Texas politics — as Rick Perry announced Monday he will not seek
a fourth term as the state's governor.
PERRY: "The time has come to pass on the mantle of leadership ... I will not seek re-election
as governor of Texas." (Via KXAN)
Perry is the longest-serving governor in Texas history. But his statewide support has dwindled.
With a 41 percent approval rating — he's actually one of the least-popular governors
in the country. (Via NRA News)
And, in a Public Policy Polling study last week, 60 percent of voters said Perry should
not run again, with only 30 percent saying he should.
Perry became lieutenant governor in 1998 under George W. Bush and took over Dec. 31, 2000
when Bush resigned his seat as Texas governor to become president. (Via The Texas Tribune)
Perry is rumored to be mulling over his own presidential ambitions. Although he was initially
a frontrunner in polls, his 2012 run for the Republican nomination was a high-profile failure.
He'll decide on a 2016 run this year. (Via MSNBC)
Perry's departure as governor will mean a huge shake-up at the Texas capital. The Texas
Tribune wrote Monday: "years of pent-up ambition have been unleashed ... [as] a host of ... statewide
officials are trying to move up the food chain."
Monday's news means 2014 will see the first open race for Texas governor — that is,
without an incumbent — since 1990. And a few state political figures have already
made clear their desire to fill Perry's boots.
"Now, as Texas attorney general, Greg Abbott is defending our constitutional rights."
It might look like a campaign ad, but Greg Abbott hasn't officially announced his candidacy
for governor — at least not yet. (Via YouTube / Texans for Greg Abbott)
Though the Republican state attorney general has amassed $18 million in campaign funds
— giving him by far the biggest war chest of potential candidates. (Via CNN)
On the Democratic side, state Sen. Wendy Davis has gotten a lot of attention for her filibuster
of a controversial abortion bill. With a newly-bolstered national profile, she'd have an advantage
fundraising. (Via CBS)
Still, Texas is a state dominated by Republicans. Along with the lawmakers in office, Perry
still has 18 months on the job — which he says he'll use to pursue a series of conservative
goals.