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Add Houston Mayor Bill White to the colorful race for the Democratic nominee for Texas Governor.  White is serving out the last of his three terms as mayor and is term-limited from running for that office again, and announced today just afternoon from snowy Houston that he will no longer seek a seat in the U.S. Senate.  Instead, he joins a varied list of other players who seek to go up against either incumbent Gov. Rick Perry or current Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison in a showdown for the office of Governor.

White will face off against Houston hair care executive Farouk Shami, rancher Hank Gilbert, teacher Felix Alvarado and, maybe, musician and humorist Kinky Friedman in the Democratic primary in March.

There hasn't been a Democrat in the Governor's mansion since George W. Bush ousted Ann Richards after just one four-year term.  Additionally, White faces a tough battle, as mayors of big cities haven't traditionally done well in statewide elections.  But his $4 million campaign fund for Senate, which will now transfer to a governor's race fund, should help him face off against some of the other big money also in the race.