Houston Chronicle:
Gov. Rick Perry is drowning Democrat Bill White with money, more than doubling the former Houston' mayor's fundraising and spending in the past month as he closes the campaign with a television ad criticizing White over the death of a police officer.
Perry reported Monday that he had raised $8.4 million between Sept. 24 and Oct. 23 and had spent $16.1 million, leaving him with $2 million in reserve. At least $600,000 of Perry's money came from Houston home builder Bob Perry, no relation.
White had raised $3.7 million for the period, spent $6.1 million and had $487,000 still in the bank.
Perry is using his bankroll to slam White over allegations that Houston did not do enough during his tenure to give the police additional powers to curtail activities by illegal immigrants.
Perry's ad features officer Rodney Johnson's widow and tries to paint White's time as Houston mayor as one that endangered officers' safety through "sanctuary city" policies.
White hit back hard, defending his record and suggesting the ad is a cynical effort to paper over a poor Perry record on border security. He compared it to 2002, when Perry tried to link Democrat Tony Sanchez to drug traffickers who killed a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent.
The battle put a spotlight on border security, immigration and law enforcement as White tries to overtake Perry's persistent lead in the polls.
"In the past, Bill White supported sanctuary city policies that made it difficult for officers to do their jobs," Houston Police Sgt. Joslyn Johnson says in the Perry ad after talking about her husband's killing. "I trust Gov. Perry to secure our safety. Bill White had his opportunity as mayor of Houston and he failed."
White - who in response to a previous Perry ad said it was a "complete myth and fabrication" to call Houston a sanctuary city - slammed Perry for featuring Johnson in the ad.
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Like many big city mayor's White was reluctant to pursue illegals thinking it would hurt policing in the illegal community. Many voters would prefer to see those found here illegally deported. I think most voters are going to side with Perry on this issue. It looks to me like White's reaction was by a candidate who was stung by the criticism.
Image by Getty Images via @daylife
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