The Dallas Morning News reports Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) "raised more than $7 million in the last six months and goes into the final stretch of the GOP primary for governor with $11.6 million in the bank."
"The total represents an escalation in fundraising in his re-election bid" against Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) "led Perry in early fundraising, beginning with a $6 million transfer from her Senate account" but has "struggled in recent months and trails in the polls."
The first debate in the tough primary race will be tomorrow night.
Update: The AP reports Hutchison's
campaign raised more than $6 million in the last
half of 2009 and had more than $12.3 million in available cash.