Bush, McClellan split on governor's race

[deminks]

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/01/4strayhorn.html

By Ken Herman
WASHINGTON STAFF
Wednesday, January 04, 2006

WASHINGTON — White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan's mom is at the center of the first public split between him and his boss.

McClellan is backing Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn, his mother, in her longshot bid to win the Texas governor's seat as an independent.

President Bush is backing incumbent Rick Perry, the Republican former lieutenant governor who succeeded Bush when he resigned in December 2000 to become president.

McClellan, who gave no indication that he might leave the White House to work on his mother's campaign, said he and Bush discussed the Texas gubernatorial race Tuesday morning but declined to reveal what they talked about.

Mark McClellan, another Strayhorn son, serves as administrator of the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Brad McClellan, another of her four sons, is her campaign manager.