In Texas, Perry calls Hutchison big spender; she says he's too cozy with lobbyists

With just a month until the March 2 election, both candidates have stepped up their pitches to voters, with the Dallas area being a key battleground.

"In just a few weeks, Texas Republicans are going to have the opportunity to pick their candidate for governor and send a message to the rest of America," Perry said during a speech at Texas Instruments in Dallas. "Are they going to cast their vote for a Washington-establishment type who has voted for bailouts, wild spending and skyrocketing debt, or are they going to put their faith in leadership whose fiscal conservatism has positioned our state for comparative success in tough times?"

Earlier, Hutchison said that without a new governor, Texas risks slipping into mediocrity.

"I feel strongly in my heart that we do need change," Hutchison told the Council of Republican Women's monthly meeting in North Dallas. "The status quo is never good enough for the best. We can do better."

Hutchison said Texas needed to improve in transportation, education and government reform.

And she said Perry, the longest serving governor in the state's history, had been in office too long.