TX governor in Houston with Rudy Giuliani

HOUSTON Governor Rick Perry is in Houston today, talking to local law enforcement and on his agenda is border security and gangs. But getting much of the attention is his traveling companion, former New York Mayor Rudy Guiliani, and his role in the September 11 attacks.

"We saw innocent Americans killed. We saw our nation's sense of security shaken and in the minutes and the hours after those attacks our nation was looking for inspiration," said Governor Perry. "We were looking for someone we could rally around."

The two have been seen around the state mixing campaign fundraisers with these border security meetings. Some have called it a strange pairing because of their opposing views on social issues like abortion, gun control and gay marriage. But Governor Perry supported Giuliani in his campaign for the presidency last year and has touted him as a role model of cutting down crime and addressing terrorism.

A spokesperson for Kay Bailey Hutchison, Perry's opponent for re-election, has called these appearances on border security a campaign move with little substance. Eyewitness News political consultant Dr. Richard Murray agrees that it is mostly grand standing but a smart campaign move.

"Rudy Giuliani has a lot of appeal to moderate, country club Republicans," said Dr. Murray. "You'd think he'd be for Kay Bailey Hutchison so this is a little bit off the kind of usual script and it's helpful to the governor in my judgment."

Hutchison's campaign has called Perry's record on border issues abysmal. Perry on the other hand has tied Hutchison with the rest of Washington in failing to address the problem.

Regardless of who gets elected, Dr. Murray says that it is unlikely the Texas governor will have much influence over federal matters like border security. But he says it's popular with Republicans in Texas, so we will be hearing about it.

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