Kay Bailey Hutchison won't resign Senate seat

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Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) will announce she is delaying her resignation from the Senate so that she can continue to represent Texas in the Senate while pursuing the Republican nomination for governor in the Lone Star state.

Had she resigned, as expected, Hutchison would have faced criticism from primary opponent Gov. Rick Perry that she had left Texas without one of its fists in the fight against President Barack Obama’s agenda. By a 60 percent to 26 percent margin, Texas voters say she shouldn’t leave the Senate seat to campaign, according to a Rasmussen Reports poll released today. The same survey shows Hutchison trailing Perry 46 percent to 35 percent.

The decision also gives Hutchison an employment insurance policy: If she loses the primary, she’d still have the Senate seat until at least 2012.

"She will always do what's right for Texas, and that means not only running for governor, but also fighting against Obamacare and cap-and-trade, which will be devastating for Texas,” said Joe Pounder, deputy communications director.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1109/29501.html