ame ▁du ck ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁defeated ▁in ▁his ▁party ' s ▁primary ▁after ▁the ▁controvers ial ▁mid - de cade ▁red istrict ing ▁in ▁the ▁state . ▁Bell ▁announced ▁his ▁run ▁in ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁ ▁Bell ' s ▁official ▁strategy ▁was ▁to ▁get ▁Democr ats ▁to ▁un ite ▁behind ▁and ▁vote ▁for ▁a ▁Dem ocrat , ▁predict ing ▁( and ▁bet ting ▁on ) ▁a ▁spl inter ing ▁of ▁the ▁Republican ▁vote ▁among ▁Perry , ▁St ray horn , ▁and ▁Fried man , ▁giving ▁the ▁Democr ats ▁the ▁needed ▁pl ur ality ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁election . ▁Running ▁on ▁a ▁platform ▁of ▁eth ics ▁reform ▁and ▁education ▁issues , ▁he ▁stayed ▁with ▁the ▁pack ▁of ▁three ▁candidates ▁with ▁better ▁name ▁recognition . ▁ ▁After ▁a ▁good ▁debate ▁performance , ▁his ▁poll ▁numbers ▁improved ▁significantly ▁to ▁where ▁he ▁had ▁taken ▁second ▁place ▁in ▁nearly ▁every ▁poll ▁after ward . ▁ ▁St ray horn ▁ ▁Car ole ▁Ke eton ▁St ray horn , ▁the ▁Com pt roller ▁of ▁Public ▁Account s , ▁was ▁initially ▁p eg ged ▁as ▁running ▁in ▁a ▁potentially ▁content ious ▁three - way ▁Republican ▁primary ▁battle ▁with ▁bitter ▁rival ▁Governor ▁Perry ▁and ▁U . S . ▁Senator ▁Kay ▁Ba iley ▁H utch ison . ▁H utch ison ▁decl ined ▁to ▁run ▁for ▁governor ▁in ▁late ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁instead ▁opt ing ▁to ▁run ▁for ▁re - e lection ▁to ▁the ▁Senate . ▁This ▁left ▁St ray horn ▁and ▁Perry ▁v ying ▁for