“If it’s halftime in America, I’m fearful of what the final score’s going to be if we let this president start the second half as a quarterback.”
— Texas Gov. Rick Perry at the Conservative Political Action Committee meeting Thursday, referencing a line in Clint Eastwood’s Super Bowl commercial, according to KUT News.

“Many Austinites are struggling financially right now, and we need a rate proposal that reflects that reality.”
— Austin City Council Member Kathie Tovo, according to KVUE. Tovo and council member Laura Morrison introduced a new proposal for a 3.5-percent increase to Austin Energy’s electric rate. Austin Energy’s previous plan has been criticized for falling disproportionately on low-usage residents.

“If we were to experience an identical summer to last summer … we would still have a very tight summer … We would have to have conservation.”
— U.S. Congressman Lloyd Doggett testifying to the Texas House State Affairs Committee about the danger of electricity shortages this summer, according to CBS.

“I hope the administration will back down from this rule that violates conscience. If it does not, I can guarantee you that we will do everything within our power to repeal it.”
— Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, in a press conference Tuesday vowing to fight a new federal mandate that would require religious employers to provide birth control in their health care plans.

“We believe that when Texas is over, we’ll be very, very competitive in delegate count.”
— Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich on his high hopes for victory in the Texas Republican primary in an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press.