National Public Radio has a story on what it says is a surprisingly close re-election race for the governor of Texas, Rick Perry, a Republican, who is being challenged by the mayor of Houston, Bill White, a Democrat:
"Our current governor doesn't seem to have a clue," White, Perry's Democratic rival, told TV station KXAN. "We need somebody who has had business experience, who can bring good business skills to state government and squeeze the value out of a dollar.
Sure enough, Mr. White's campaign Web site makes the same claim: "Mayor White's business experience can help Washington turn our economy around....Before serving as mayor, White built one of the region's most successful businesses." Mr. Perry has been an elected official since 1985.
If this "We need somebody who has had business experience" line of campaigning resonates in Texas, it'll be interesting to see whether the Democrats try to bring it to the national level. Maybe Hillary Clinton's Walmart board experience and commodities trading skill will be the basis of her next campaign? It certainly doesn't play to President Obama's strong points.