Texas Gov. Rick Perry, a big-time Republican critic of federal economic-stimulus funding on education, has defeated Democratic challenger Bill White, according to the Associated Press.
Perry was locked in what many saw as a surprisingly close re-election contest against White, the former mayor of Houston, heading into the final weeks.
EdWeek readers will remember that Perry refused to have his state take part in the federal Race to the Top competition, making his state one of the few to opt out of the race for cash.