Rick Perry may be out of the race for president, but the Republican field is still brimming with Texas. First-generation Texan Ted Cruz has the ostrich boots and defiant swagger. Jeb Bush — Midland-born, Houston-raised, Longhorn-educated — is the son and brother of Texas presidents. Rand Paul, son of Ron, toddled into Texas as a 2-year-old, coming of age in Lake Jackson and at Baylor University.

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And then there is Carly Fiorina, who, on the strength of two stellar debate performances, has suddenly surged into the top tier of candidates — ahead of Bush and Cruz and Paul and behind only Donald Trump and Ben Carson in recent polls.

Read more of the Austin American-Statesman profile of Fiorina here.