Perry spends $41.7M to remain as Texas governor

AUSTIN, TX Figures were released Tuesday in Austin, the same day Perry was sworn in for another four-year term. He's the state's longest serving governor, already with a decade in office.

Documents filed with the Texas Ethics Commission indicate Perry ended 2010 with $2.7 million in campaign cash.

Former Houston Mayor Bill White spent $24.8 million in his failed Democratic bid for governor.

The Houston Chronicle reports the top political donors in Texas during 2010 were Houston trial lawyers Steve and Amber Mostyn, giving candidates and political committees $8.8 million. The Mostyns also donated $400,000 to the national Democratic Governors Association.

The latest campaign finance reporting period was Oct. 24 through December.