Texas Governor

Speaking to supporters at a hunting ranch in Buda, Mr. Perry, the longest-serving governor in the state’s history: Said a majority of Americans had become weary of what he called “do-gooder policies” and mandates from the federal government.

“Our citizens are tired of big government raising their taxes and cooking up ways to micromanage their lives,” he said. “The people are fed up.”

Mr. White, who retired as the mayor of Houston in January, conceded defeat at 9 p.m. Central time as it became clear that the early returns were against him and that he would not be able to catch up. With about 6 in 10 precincts counted, Mr. Perry had 55 percent of the vote, Mr. White had 39 percent, and the rest was divided among two other candidates. Texas Governor
Mr. White had hammered away at Mr. Perry for months, accusing him of turning state government into a Republican political machine and patronage mill during his decade in office.
Texas Governor
In his concession speech, however, Mr. White called on his supporters to give Mr. Perry their respect and support and issued a call for more civility in politics. “All our elected leaders, including our national leadership, deserve respect,” he said. “Texans and Americans should understand that respect for diversity does not mean just diverse ethnic backgrounds, but it also means respect for people with a different point of view.” Texas Governor
The governor won by campaigning on his record of creating jobs and on the state’s relatively good economy in the face of the worst economic downturn since the 1930s. Embracing Tea Party supporters and others in the right wing of his party, he also campaigned against President Obama, assailing the main Democratic initiatives in Washington over the last two years: the health care overhaul and the $787 billion stimulus package. Texas Governor

Like other Republicans across the nation, Mr. Perry turned the race into a referendum on federal spending, and argued that Texas had charted a different, business-friendly course of low taxes and low regulation.
Mr. White was the Democrats’ best hope to win back the governorship since George W. Bush swept into office in 1994 and started a period of Republican dominance.
A former lieutenant governor, Mr. Perry became governor when Mr. Bush was elected president in 2000, and he has won three elections since then. He has recently made moves suggesting that he might run for national office. Over the weekend, he refused to commit to serving out another four-year term, and on Wednesday he will a nationwide tour for his book “Fed Up! Our Fight to Save America from Washington.” Texas Governor