Political fallout

According to the Houston Chronicle, several past donors to Gov. Perry show up on Kay Bailey Hutchison's donor list for her unannounced campaign to challenge the former yell leader in the Republican primary. Vision 1920 noted a few of interest to higher education

Hutchison, meanwhile, is drawing some major money from former Perry backers.

Probably the most notable is former University of Texas Regent Robert Rowling, who quit in anger in February over how Perry and Dewhurst treated University of Texas Management Co. President Bruce Zimmerman because of his $1 million bonus. Rowling, who was appointed to the UT board by Perry, gave Hutchison $100,000.

Nau, McLane switch

Other major Perry donors who have switched to Hutchison are Houstonians Ned Holmes, investor Charles Tate and beer distributor John Nau. Also on the list are Texas A&M Regent Erle Nye and Drayton McLane, owner of the Houston Astros.

Nye, a winner of the Distinguished Alumnus Award* actually rotated off the Board of Regents last February. Vision 1920 is shocked that he is donating to the tu cheerleader. Worse, the list of Hutchison donors (pdf) includes other notable A&M faculty:

• Former President Ray M. Bowen and his wife Sally. Bowen has been critical of recent directions at A&M.
• A. Benton Cocanaugher, Dean of the Bush School and Dean emeritus and Professor emeritus at the Mays Business School. Cocanaugher was interim Chancellor before McKinney was appointed to the position
• John Junkins, George J. Eppright Prof. Department of Aerospace Engineering. Junkins is a member of the just-named presidential search committee and chaired the 2001 committee that hired Robert Gates.

What is wrong with these people? Don't they know that the Governor is sending money to the A&M System as fast as he can?

*Shouldn't that be the Distinguished Former Student Award?