FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, Feb. 8, 2010

MEDIA ADVISORY: BILL WHITE DEBATES, GOES TO SAN ANTONIO

Bill White, candidate for governor, will participate in his first live, televised debate tonight at 7 p.m. Station information can be found at: http://www.texasdebates.org/stations.php.

Viewers can participate in the conversation about Texas' future by joining a live web chat on the campaign website starting 15 minutes prior to the debate. In addition, viewers are invited to offer their feedback on the debate by submitting texting "DEBATE" and their message to 228466 (ACTION).

The debate home on www.billwhitefortexas.com will be: http://www.billwhitefortexas.com/txdebate.html.

After the debate, White will be available for press interviews along with State Senator Wendy Davis. Following the media availability, Bill White will attend a watch party in Fort Worth with supporters.

Rahr & Sons Brewery
701 Galveston Avenue
Fort Worth, TX 76104

On Tuesday, White will be in San Antonio and available for 1:1 press interviews. Please call Annalee below to schedule.

CONTACT

Katy Bacon
press@billwhitefortexas.com
(713) 501-3991 - mobile

Annalee Gulley
press@billwhitefortexas.com
(210) 823-5818

Fast Facts: 67 Days of Bill White for Texas Governor

Key Issues

• Texans deserve a governor who's accountable to the people he serves. As governor, Bill White will make sure that taxpayers are getting their money's worth.
• As governor, Bill White will work to equip Texans entering the workforce with the technology and skills they need to compete for the jobs of the future.

Campaign

• Attracted thousands of volunteers and more than 7,000 donors.
• Kept an aggressive schedule.
Ex: Saturday, Feb. 6, in Central Texas, Ex: Friday, Feb. 5, in the lower Rio Grande Valley (Brownsville, McAllen)
• Opened nine regional field offices and many more "offices" because, as Bill likes to say, "If you have a phone or a computer, you have an office."

Fundraising

• $6.4 million in the bank as of Jan. 21, close of last reporting period.


• In the first three weeks of January, Bill White raised more money and spent much less than either Perry or Hutchison during the same period.


• In the 28 days after White's Dec. 4 announcement for governor, supporters responded with more than $2.5 million, for an average fundraising rate of over $90,000 per day.

Recent Rasmussen Polls

• Bill White has the highest percentage of likely voters who view him "very favorably" among all the candidates for governor including Rick Perry.
• Perry, who has been in one state office or another for a quarter century and has already spent millions on this governor's race, is only leading Bill White by 9 points. Bill White has never run statewide and had barely begun running TV ads at the time of the poll.
• Even Rasmussen, a notoriously GOP skewed polling company, has the Republican incumbent under 50 points, a clear warning sign of Perry's vulnerability.

Advertising

• First TV ad, released Feb. 1, featured the candidate speaking directly to voters about education.
• Paul Burka said the message about education "crosses party lines. Republicans in the suburbs and in rural areas care about public schools."
• Burnt Orange Report agreed education was the right message that "Rick Perry and Kay Bailey Hutchison refuse to talk about in their debates."
• Second TV ad, released February 5, featured candidate's early life and family photos.
• The Texas Tribune said, "The gist is Bill White: family man, businessman, churchgoer, tax cutter."

Endorsements

• 12 State Senators and 66 State Representatives at www.billwhitefortexas.com/united.
• Texas State Teachers Association
• Rick Noriega