Rolando Garcia of the Beaumont Enterprise takes a look at the state of the shadow primary in Southeast Texas.

The Republican primary for governor still is 15 months away and Gov. Rick Perry is thus far unopposed, but don't tell that to Susan Welsh.
She and other leading volunteer coordinators for Perry's re-election effort were in Austin earlier this month, huddling with high-powered political strategists and media consultants who will direct the campaign.

"The Perry machine is in full swing," said Welsh, who is spearheading the Perry campaign in Jefferson County.

The shadow primary between Perry and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, who is considering a run for governor, has been a mostly under-the-radar affair closely watched by political reporters and, more importantly, grass-roots GOP activists.

As the foot soldiers who stuff the envelopes, canvass the precincts and man the phone banks, volunteers are crucial to winning a typically low-turnout party primary.

And in Southeast Texas, many of the die-hard GOP activists have sided with Perry in the anticipated clash of Texas political titans.

. . .

"Perry is the most conservative governor we've had, and I can't imagine why the Republican base wouldn't support him," Teuscher said.

It's worth noting that Garcia doesn't quote a single person supporting a potential Hutchison run.
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