GOP Candidates for Texas Governor Face Off in First Debate

During a televised debate in the GOP gubernatorial race, Perry tried to point to the jobs he has created in office and cited positive statistics stretching from November 2007 to November 2008.

Hutchinson, who is challenging Perry in the GOP primary on March 2, replied: "Let's talk about '09."

Both Hutchison and Republican Party activist Debra Medina, who is also seeking the nomination, pointed out jobs were lost.

"We lost 300,000 jobs in Texas this year; that is not a record to be proud of," Hutchison said.

Perry, seeking an unprecedented third four-year term, boasted that Texas leads the nation in the development of jobs and it's one of the top places for small businesses. Texas' unemployment rate is at 8 percent, about two percentage points below the national average.

Hutchison argued that taxes have increased under Perry.

Perry took over as governor in December 2000 when George W. Bush resigned to become president. Now Perry is seeking an unprecedented third four-year term.

Perry casts himself as the "true conservative" in the race, but Hutchison takes issue with that.

He railed against health care reform during Thursday's debate and echoed his usual refrain that Hutchison needs to stay in Washington.

"We have heard that it is hanging by a thread," he said of landmark health care legislation before Congress. "I hope that our senior senator from Washington will go back to D.C. and cut that thread. That's where she needs to be."


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