Austin, TX – A possible election showdown in 2010 between Gov. Rick Perry and U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison could be a big-spending affair.
Hutchison revealed yesterday that she has transferred nearly $7.9 million from her federal campaign account into a state fund. Hutchison said she'll be taking ``additional steps toward a reace for governor'' in the coming weeks.
Perry, meanwhile, reported having $6.6 million in campaign cash on hand to the Texas Ethics Commission.
Earlier this week, Perry said in an Associated Press interview he had doubts about whether Hutchison would really run for governor. But the next day, Hutchison told the Dallas Morning News she was committed to running against Perry in 2010.
Perry is serving his second full term as governor. He ascended to the office in December 2000 when then-Gov. George W. Bush resigned to become president. Perry won election on his own to the office in 2002 and 2006.
Departing from their usual approach of avoiding attacks on Perry, Hutchison spokesman Todd Olsen took aim at the amount of time Perry spent raising money before the November election when he wasn't running for office.