People in Texas may actually miss Rick Perry...

[Archae]

If this guy gets in.

Meet Greg Abbott, the Man Who May Make You Miss Rick Perry

—By Tim Murphy

| Tue Jul. 9, 2013 8:38 AM PDT

During his tenure as Texas attorney general, Greg Abbott has developed a bit of a routine: "I go into the office," he told a GOP audience in San Angelo in February, "I sue Barack Obama, and then I go home." It's a line he uses in virtually every speech he gives and it has the benefit of being basically true. Abbott has sued the Obama administration 27 times in five years. Now he might be getting a promotion.

After Gov. Rick Perry's announcement on Monday that he will not seek reelection for a fourth time in 2014—while leaving the door open, improbably, for another presidential run—Abbott, who is expected to announce a gubernatorial bid as early as Sunday, is now the favorite to be the chief executive of the nation's second-biggest state. (A recent survey by Public Policy Polling gave him a 8-point advantage over the Democrats' top prospective recruit, state Sen. Wendy Davis.) More than a few people will hail the departure of Perry, a politician who embraced crony capitalism, supported criminalizing sodomy, crushed abortion rights, and almost certainly allowed an innocent man die. That's about right. But in the hyperlitigious Abbott, Texas Republicans have a replacement who may just do the impossible—make progressives miss Rick Perry.

http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/07/greg-abbott-the-next-rick-perry

[Skittles]

1. please, he's another rightwing asshat

Texas is filled with them

[Avalux]

2. Six to one, half dozen to the other.

Bush, Perry, Abbott...I've lived through a lot of 'em!

Abbott may not be the shoe-in most believe he is, Texas IS turning...and I think Ann Richards, somewhere up there, is smiling.

[bluestate10]

3. Typical "progressive" bullshit. An asshole that likely has concrete feet gets a lead before the

public get to know anyone else and progressives label defeating that person impossible, with the subtitle, "why bother running? Grow a fucking backbone!!! Nothing that is meaningful comes easy. Democrats in Texas need to out register and out organize republicans, democrats have the numbers, republicans have exhausted their population of regressive minds and haters.

[Skittles]

4. we're doing OK in the cities

alas, rural Texas needs a LOT of work

[okaawhatever]

8. I was amazed to find that Texas only has 47% turnout. I read that there are over

2 million Hispanics who are eligible to vote, but aren't even registered. Also, if Wendy does run, I think she can get a lot of small outside donations. If you've been following the legislature testimony, youtube and twitter have a ton of people from all over the world watching. I've read up on Abbott and he's just friggin' scary. He is 10x worse than Perry.

[blogslut]

5. Yeah, Abbott is scary

More reason to not just get a good Democratic candidate to run against him but to get the damned national Dems to put some money and support behind her.

[Caroline-Vivienne]

6. See my tag line : )

[derby378]

7. Tom Pauken has also declared his candidacy - and don't forget David Dewhurst

After Perry backed Ted Cruz over Dewhurst in the last Senate race, I'm sure Dewhurst would love a "fuck-you moment" where he takes Perry's old job.

But first, any GOP gubernatorial challenger would have to get past Wendy Davis...