▁ ▁Dem ocrat ▁ ▁| } ▁ ▁Other ▁candidates ▁ ▁Independent ▁K ink y ▁Fried man ▁– ▁country ▁singer , ▁and ▁mystery ▁author . ▁Car ole ▁Ke eton ▁St ray horn ▁– ▁Com pt roller , ▁former ▁Rail road ▁Commission er , ▁former ▁City ▁of ▁Austin ▁Mayor , ▁and ▁former ▁Austin ▁Independent ▁School ▁District ▁Board ▁of ▁Trust ees ▁President , ▁who ▁spent ▁June ▁through ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁seeking ▁the ▁Republican ▁nom ination . ▁ ▁Libert arian ▁James ▁Werner ▁– ▁Sales ▁Cons ult ant . ▁ ▁Camp aign ▁ ▁Perry ▁Inc umb ent ▁Rick ▁Perry ▁became ▁governor ▁in ▁late ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁when ▁then - G overn or ▁George ▁W . ▁Bush ▁res igned ▁following ▁his ▁election ▁as ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁He ▁had ▁been ▁elected ▁lieutenant ▁governor ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁Perry ▁was ▁subsequently ▁elected ▁governor ▁in ▁his ▁own ▁right ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁and ▁successfully ▁ran ▁for ▁a ▁second ▁full ▁term ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁ ▁Perry ' s ▁overall ▁poll ▁ratings ▁had ▁pl um met ed ▁since ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁election , ▁pl ag ued ▁by ▁budget ▁wo es , ▁batt les ▁over ▁school ▁finan cing ▁reform , ▁and ▁a ▁content ious ▁and ▁controvers ial ▁red istrict ing ▁battle . ▁His ▁appro val ▁rating ▁dropped ▁to ▁ 3 8 % ▁during ▁the ▁latter ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁legisl ative ▁session . ▁Perry ▁then ▁improved ▁from ▁this ▁position , ▁more