▁recently ▁holding ▁a ▁ 4 4 % ▁appro val ▁rating , ▁with ▁ 5 1 % ▁disapp ro ving , ▁as ▁of ▁a ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁poll . ▁Texas ▁election ▁laws ▁do ▁not ▁require ▁a ▁run - off ▁in ▁the ▁event ▁that ▁a ▁majority ▁is ▁not ▁achieved , ▁and ▁so ▁Governor ▁Perry ▁joined ▁only ▁two ▁other ▁Texas ▁govern ors ▁to ▁achieve ▁the ▁office ▁by ▁a ▁pl ur ality ▁of ▁less ▁than ▁ 4 0 %. ▁The ▁Texas ▁Governor ▁E lections ▁of ▁ 1 8 5 3 ▁and ▁ 1 8 6 1 ▁both ▁won ▁with ▁less ▁than ▁ 4 0 % ▁of ▁the ▁vote . ▁ ▁Despite ▁weak ▁pol ling ▁numbers , ▁Perry ▁had ▁the ▁support ▁of ▁the ▁Texas ▁G OP . ▁According ▁to ▁Perry ' s ▁campaign ▁website , ▁he ▁gained ▁ 1 4 2 ▁separate ▁end ors ements . ▁Perry ▁had ▁end ors ements ▁from ▁virt ually ▁the ▁entire ▁Texas ▁G OP ▁Cong r essional ▁deleg ation ▁( all ▁but ▁two ▁members ), ▁every ▁other ▁Republican ▁state wide ▁office holder ▁( except ▁St ray horn ▁and ▁jud icial ▁office hold ers ; ▁the ▁latter ▁by ▁law ▁cannot ▁end or se ▁political ▁candidates ), ▁ 5 1 ▁of ▁the ▁ 6 2 ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Texas ▁Republican ▁Party ▁executive ▁committee , ▁and ▁nearly ▁every ▁major ▁Texas ▁pro - bus iness , ▁fis cal ▁conserv ative , ▁and ▁social ▁conserv ative ▁organization ▁and ▁P AC . ▁Perry ▁even ▁managed ▁to ▁gain ▁the ▁end ors ement ▁of ▁the ▁Team sters ▁Union