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Bill White continues to narrow the gap in the race for Texas governor and is within striking distance, according to today’s Texas Lyceum Poll, which puts the head-to-head at 48-43. Among independent voters, White holds a commanding lead over the longtime incumbent Rick Perry, 50 percent to 34 percent.

The poll was in the field just before Lone Star First, an independent group with DGA support, began highlighting how his 25 years as a politician have changed Perry, and the Dallas Morning News revealed Perry’s campaign contributors are receiving millions in taxpayer dollars. Bill White is picking up momentum with more stories about Perry’s corruption popping daily.

Texas Lyceum Poll Shows Governor’s Race Not a Forgone Conclusion White Trails Perry by 5 with Perry 48%, White 43% Kathie Glass at 5% with 3% Undecided

AUSTIN – Statewide poll numbers released today show that Democratic gubernatorial candidate and former Houston Mayor Bill White trails Republican Governor Rick Perry by five points.  The fourth annual 2010 Texas Lyceum Poll, conducted September 22^nd – September 30^th, shows Rick Perry leading Bill White 48% – 43% among likely voters. The margin of error is +/-4.75 percentage points.

Among self-identified independent voters, White leads Perry 50% – 34%, with Libertarian Kathie Glass also earning 10% support.  Moderate voters are also breaking to White, who leads Perry 67% – 22% amongst that group. Perry, however, commands a 76%-17% lead amongst conservatives and has locked down 81% of the Republican vote.

The survey sample, which consists of 416 likely voters, also indicates that most Texans have made up their minds in the race for Governor with only 3% undecided.  Meanwhile, of the remaining candidates in the Governor’s race Libertarian candidate Glass has 5-points and Green Party candidate Deb Shafto has 1-point.

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Responsible leaders in Texas have been trying to get their hands the true size of Gov. Rick Perry’s massive budget gap for some time. Perry is belittling those efforts, equating them “Ouija board” projections.

With polls in Texas tightening and former Perry backers like the Farm Bureau fleeing his campaign, it’s clear that voters want a governor who will tackle tough issues like the budget deficit, not bury his head in the sand.

White blasts Perry over ‘Ouija board’ estimates

By PAUL J. WEBER Associated Press Writer © 2010 The Associated Press

— A massive budget hole Texas faces emerged again in the race for governor Wednesday after Gov. Rick Perry equated early shortfall estimates to “Ouija board” projections.

Democratic challenger Bill White seized on the remark, saying Perry lacked business sense for comparing an estimated $18 billion shortfall from state budget officials to crystal ball readings. Perry said he was referring to methods used in some projections that he says are well higher than others.

“I think it’s a little bit premature to be getting your crystal ball out or your Ouija board or whatever these people are using,” Perry had said Tuesday at a campaign stop in Midland.

Appearing in Irving on Wednesday, Perry tried to clarify the earlier comment, saying he mentioned Ouija boards and crystal balls when referring to methods used in some budget shortfall projections because the figures are much higher than the state Senate finance chairman’s recent estimate of $10 billion to $11 billion.

“So there have been others who have estimated, guestimated — again, I don’t know the logic or the economic rules that they’re using to come up with their numbers,” Perry said. “You’ve had some that said it’s 18 billion. Another group said it’s 21 1/2. You know — I thought I was at an auction for a while. `Who’s going to make it 25?’”

White, who is running to deny Perry an unprecedented third term as Texas governor, called the comments dismissive.

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A lot, as it turns out. Last night, a judge blocked the Texas Green Party from the appearing on the ballot, ruling “that illegal corporate money was used in a Republican attempt to put them there to benefit Gov. Rick Perry.”

 The ruling came after testimony from a University of Texas student revealed Perry’s close confidante and former chief of staff paid him $2, 000 a month to move the effort forward.

Looks like Rick Perry is afraid of a fair fight against Bill White.

Perry has been on defense for weeks on his failure to close the $18 billion budget gap and taxpayer-funded luxury lifestyle. Now the career politician will have to answer questions about what he knew and when he knew it.

 Judge blocks Green Party candidates from Texas ballot

By WAYNE SLATER / The Dallas Morning News

A state judge blocked Green Party candidates from Texas’ general election ballot Thursday, ruling that illegal corporate money was used in a Republican attempt to put them there to benefit Gov. Rick Perry.

District Judge John Dietz said he expected his injunction would be stayed by a higher court.

He issued the injunction after a day of testimony in Austin that implicated a former top Perry aide in efforts to field Green Party candidates in November.

Democrats say Perry would be helped if the Green Party candidate for governor siphons votes from Democrat Bill White. The Perry campaign denied any involvement in the effort.

The Democratic Party had filed the suit to block the Green Party candidates and to find out who bankrolled the petition drive scheme, which was first reported by The Dallas Morning News.

In testimony Thursday, University of Texas student Garrett Mize said he was approached in late 2009 by former Perry chief of staff Mike Toomey about a possible petition drive putting the Green Party on the ballot.

Mize said that Toomey, now an Austin lobbyist, paid him $2,000 a month but that he quit in April when it became clear that money for the effort would not be coming from environmentally sensitive wind-energy advocates as promised.

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