The eyes of the nation will be on Texas next spring.

Political junkies such as me will enjoy immensely the spectacle of two big hitters laying haymakers on each other. Gov. Rick Perry and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison are vying for the Republican nomination for governor — a job now held by Perry.

What’s yet to be determined is how Texas Democrats are going to garner any attention.

I can guarantee that Perry and Hutchison are going to command virtually all the media’s attention from now until the primary next March. That leaves the Democratic Party primary as sort of a preliminary event occurring simultaneously with the Big Show on the Republican side.

I also can guarantee that the rest of the nation will be peering this way for a clue on how Perry campaigns and how Hutchison counters the governor’s sure-fire appeal to the conservative base within the GOP.

Perry’s talk this past spring of secession was meant to fire up the faithful. It worked.

Hutchison is seen in Republican circles as a more “moderate” politician. But the Panhandle GOP faithful don’t trust her, chiefly because of her perceived squishiness on abortion. Yes, she remains a strong Second Amendment supporter, which she demonstrated with her vote against confirming Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

Political types across the nation will be looking for evidence of a Republican comeback in 2010. Whatever success Perry gets in the primary will set the tone for the rest of the year. If, however, Texas Republicans grow tired of the governor and turn toward Hutchison, then her moderate stance becomes the new standard that the party ought to follow in other statewide and congressional elections.

Shake hands and come out fighting.