Texas Gov. Perry Reverses Sen. Hutchinson's Poll Lead

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison has “squandered her opportunity,” Republican political consultant Mark Sanders tells the Houston Chronicle. “She ceded the Republican base to Governor Perry.”

Perry focused a message on conservative Republican primary voters. He railed against the federal government, against stimulus funding, against federal health care plans and for states' rights.

Hutchison's advantage in the polls was eliminated, and Perry took a lead of more than 10 percentage points in three separate polls in June.

Read the full story in The Houston Chronicle.