▁the ▁G OP ▁nom ination . ▁Bel ieving ▁her ▁ch ances ▁to ▁be ▁better ▁running ▁as ▁an ▁independent ▁and ▁appe aling ▁directly ▁to ▁vot ers , ▁rather ▁than ▁those ▁of ▁the ▁Republican ▁Party ▁first , ▁she ▁announced ▁her ▁intent ▁to ▁challenge ▁him ▁in ▁the ▁general ▁election ▁instead . ▁Had ▁she ▁run ▁in ▁the ▁primary , ▁the ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁S cri pp s ▁Howard ▁Texas ▁Pol l ▁of ▁match ▁ups ▁had ▁Perry ▁in ▁the ▁lead ▁against ▁St ray horn ▁by ▁a ▁ 5 5 % - 2 4 % ▁margin . ▁ ▁St ray horn ▁was ▁seen ▁as ▁a ▁moder ate ▁alternative ▁to ▁Perry , ▁and ▁found ▁support ▁among ▁moder ate ▁Republic ans ▁and ▁independent ▁vot ers . ▁Although ▁a ▁few ▁pol ls ▁had ▁her ▁tied ▁for ▁second ▁going ▁into ▁E lection ▁day , ▁she ▁finished ▁with ▁ 1 8 . 1 3 % ▁of ▁the ▁vote , ▁ 1 2 % ▁behind ▁Bell ▁and ▁ 2 1 % ▁behind ▁Perry . ▁ ▁Werner ▁ ▁James ▁Werner ▁was ▁the ▁Libert arian ▁Party ▁candidate . ▁According ▁to ▁Werner ' s ▁campaign ▁website , ▁he ▁has ▁a ▁master ' s ▁degree ▁in ▁Spanish ▁and ▁Latin ▁American ▁literature ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁California , ▁a ▁b ach elor ' s ▁degree ▁from ▁V ander b ilt ▁University ▁and ▁is ▁currently ▁working ▁for ▁an ▁Austin - based ▁educational ▁software ▁company . ▁ ▁Werner ▁previously ▁ran ▁for ▁Congress ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁as ▁the ▁Libert arian ▁nom ine e . ▁Cont ending ▁for