Earlier this year, you heard a lot of buzz about former Houston mayor Bill White’s chances to beat Texas governor Rick Perry, a win that would undoubtedly invigorate Democrats and persuade them that they can win, with the right candidates, even in the reddest parts of the country.

Time magazine: “Has a Democrat Got a Chance of Becoming Governor of Texas?”

The Houston Chronicle: “The former Houston mayor arguably is the strongest gubernatorial candidate Democrats have nominated since Ann Richards in 1990.”

A Public Policy Polling poll in June showed the pair tied: “For now this looks like a surprisingly strong opportunity for Democrats and a race that could certainly end up as one of the most closely watched in the country.”

Yet when you look at the overall polling, it looks pretty consistent:

And the most recent poll, by a Republican firm, puts Perry up by 12, 50 percent to 38 percent.

So maybe this race won’t be so competitive after all. Nonetheless, I plan doing some on-the-ground reporting from Texas later this fall, mostly because I want to tell NR that it was a business trip.