Senator Eliot Shapleigh - El Paso, Texas

Gov. Rick Perry

About 20 months before candidates must declare for the 2010 elections, Gov. Rick Perry gave Texas politics an unexpected stir Thursday by saying he intends to seek a third four-year term.

Perry's statement cleared the way for jostling among potential gubernatorial aspirants on the same day he said he wouldn't accept the 2008 vice presidential nod from his party even if asked to do so by presumptive Republican nominee John McCain, the Arizona senator.

Perry aired his political plans after a reporter inquired into his possibly running against two fellow Republicans, U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst.

"I don't know about them, but it will be Perry in 2010," Perry was quoted saying by The Dallas Morning News.

The brief exchange took place outside a meeting Perry held with several GOP governors in Grapevine near Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.

Perry is chairman of the Republican Governors Association, which organized the gathering on energy topics.

His seemingly unplanned declaration — no one in his circle said they knew it was coming — was played down by advisers, who said Perry has never said he wouldn't run again.

"We have always assumed that he was running again because he has always said there is a number of things he wants to do in the next legislative session," said Robert Black, Perry's press secretary. Black said they include hastening state tax rebates, increasing governmental transparency and restraining state spending.

Two advisers to Perry, who asked not to be named because they're not authorized to divulge his tactics, counseled against concluding that Perry will follow through with his plans.

Thursday's comment "was more of a throwaway" line, one source said.

The other source, noting that Perry faces a regular legislative session next year, said: "To have a successful session (in 2009), you have to prevent lame-duck disease. Keeping your political roots alive helps prevent that."

Neither Hutchison nor Dewhurst flinched at Perry's comments, though Republican Roger Williams, the former secretary of state, said he won't try for governor if Perry does.

Democrats, whose nominees have not won a statewide office since 1994, cheered the prospect of a contentious GOP primary, which they said could improve their odds of capturing the governor's office. Possible Democratic candidates include Houston Mayor Bill White, whose term ends in early 2010, former state Comptroller John Sharp, 2006 nominee Chris Bell and, conceivably, Kinky Friedman, the writer who ran as an independent in 2006 who has said he might run again as a Democrat.

"Democrats have spent the afternoon writing Perry checks and letters of encouragement," said Kelly Fero, an Austin Democratic consultant. "We could only be so lucky as to have him run again."

Matt Angle, a Democratic strategist in Washington, suggested that Perry wanted to warn Republicans against speculating about other people. "Political gamesmanship," Angle said.

Perry, 58, succeeded George W. Bush as governor in late 2000 by stepping up from lieutenant governor. He won re-election handily in 2002.

Four years later, he bested Bell, Friedman and Carole Keeton Strayhorn, running as an independent, but drew only 39 percent of the vote. The West Texan is poised to break the Texas record for days as governor late this year.

If Hutchison and Dewhurst were miffed by Perry's move, they didn't show it.

Dewhurst said he's focused on the legislative session starting in January, adding: "Whatever I decide to do after that will be based on what's best for Texas."

Hutchison, who has said she might run for governor, said Perry's announcement would not affect her decision.

"I am very encouraged by people asking me to come home and run for governor to provide leadership for Texas,' she said outside her Senate office. "So I just think it's too early to make a decision like that. I'm working very hard for candidates in this cycle, and I don't want to do something that's unfair to them. It's a decision I will make at the appropriate time."

Hutchison has said she might resign early from the Senate to run for governor. If she does, Perry could choose an interim senator — perhaps elevating Dewhurst and removing him as a gubernatorial rival.

Gubernatorial politics could affect a legislative session that could open amid uncertainty. House Speaker Tom Craddick, R-Midland, is trying to regain control of a rebellious House that last year became unpredictable and, some say, less productive because of internal politics.

In addition to a contested speaker's race, the legislative session could begin with either Dewhurst preparing to run against Perry, with whom he's not always in step, or perhaps Dewhurst angling for the appointment to finish Hutchison's Senate term.

If Dewhurst resigned to replace Hutchision, the state Senate would be required to elect one of its own to be its interim leader.

"It will be an interesting chess game on who does what next," said state Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay.