Strayhorn Dream Team.

Carole Keeton Strayhorn has hired strategic pollster and consultant John McLaughlin of McLaughlin & Associates and media consultant Alex Castellanos of National Media Inc.

John McLaughlin has worked professionally as a strategic consultant and pollster for over twenty years and has earned a reputation for helping to guide underdog Republicans and conservative challengers to victory.


McLaughlin most recently helped Arnold Schwarzenegger say “hasta la vista...Davis” to Gov. Gray Davis in California.

Alex Castellanos has served as media consultant to five US Presidential campaigns. He has helped elect eight US Senators, six Governors, and enjoys over two decades of political consulting experience, both in the United States and abroad. Fortune singled out Mr. Castellanos as a "new style media master."

Many consultants agree, Rick Perry is vulnerable in a Republican Primary since he continues to fail to achieve a school finance solution. Perry tried to push for a solution in the 2003 session. The attempt failed.

The governor called a special legislative session in 2003 to again try to revamp public education funding, he pushed a plan to levy a $1 tax on cigarettes and legalizing video slot machines. The attempt failed.

At the beginning of this session, Perry declared school financing a "legislative emergency". Perry came into this session with a GOP-dominated Legislature and a mandate – and for the third time, again, he failed.

"Rick Perry has failed to lead, but he's succeeded at helping pass the largest tax increase in Texas history. The Tax and Spend Governor is masquerading as a Republican while he continues to seek new ways of taxing and double taxing Texas families more. For example, Perry has been pushing to privatize and toll our Texas freeways. He wants to toll freeways we've already paid for. Many of these freeways are not "existing highways" since we've yet to drive on them - they're currently under construction and fully funded with our gas tax dollars. That is Double Taxation. Freeways have never been tolled in the history of our country," said Sal Costello, Founder of www.TexasTollParty.com

See what Texans are saying: http://www.texastollparty.com/viewSignatures.php

Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn will make a major announcement this Saturday. June 18th at 12:15 - 16th & Congress (Just North of the Capital).