About the only reason even a former Houston mayor who's very popular there was able to compete with Perry was a significant number of Republicans crossing party lines to vote for him when they couldn't nominate Kay. My bet, however, is that was simply the spur for Kay to run, and that her real objective was to increase her exposure and gain some excutive experience prior to her own presidential run. Kay is Sarah Palin without the gaffes and Hillaryesque stridance, and if she had the national name recognition her ability to cut into the Dem edge with women voters would make her a very scary candidate.