Kay Bailey Hutchison wants Dallas County Republican Party Chairman Nate Crain to leave her alone.

"I'm trying very hard to focus on my job," she said after a speech last week at the Belo Mansion. "I just would hope that our party leaders would not be taking shots at an officeholder in the party who is trying very hard to do her job."

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"There is a disturbing pattern about where this is headed," Mr. Crain said. "I don't want to see our party split."

Rick Neudorff, the Collin County Republican Party chairman, supports Mr. Crain.

"I would rather her not run and have campaign money sucked up in one race," he said.

Potential Republican campaign donors throughout the state have sent similar signals. But despite some institutional opposition, analysts consider Ms. Hutchison unbeatable in her own back yard.

Her campaign contends that Mr. Perry's organization is responsible for Mr. Crain's sniping.

"It says a lot about his leadership," said Terry Sullivan, campaign manager for Ms. Hutchison. "He needs to focus on the important things going on in our state, instead of worrying about re-election."

Luis Saenz, the governor's campaign director, said Mr. Crain is "his own guy" and that Mr. Perry was not involved in the party leader's spat with Ms. Hutchison.

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