With polls showing her way behind in the Republican gubernatorial primary, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) acknowledged to the AP that Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) "has succeeded at casting her as a Washington insider, hindering her effort to kick him out of the Texas governor's mansion."
Said Hutchison: "It definitely has made it more difficult for me. I didn't think that people would buy that because I've been so effective for Texas."
"Perry seems to be riding a national wave of frustration directed at Washington politicians - the same anger that has fueled the "tea party" movement and complicated the Democrats' plans to overhaul the nation's health care system. The long-serving governor who has campaigned as populist has repeatedly criticized Hutchison for pushing earmarks and voting for the $700 billion Wall Street bailout."