# Rick Perry to jump into the race? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 28, 2011, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-perry-to-jump-into-the-race/583589 "2011-05-28T19:57:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![LonghornDave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@LonghornDave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonghornDave)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-perry-to-jump-into-the-race/583589/41 "2011-06-01T20:41:30Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Quoth **LonghornDave** :So what you’re saying is, it’s not really a job that would qualify one for being President? I do not believe any job qualifies as good experience for the position of President, but I would especially think so of the Texas Governor position in comparison to other large state Governor positions. In fairness to Perry though, who I obviously do not like, he did serve as the Lieutenant Governor prior to assuming the Governor position. The Lieutenant Governor position is considered to be fairly powerful in Texas. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-perry-to-jump-into-the-race/583589/42 "2011-06-06T15:00:10Z")
> [@dbx820](#): > > He won’t run. He has too much unchecked power in Texas that he would have to give up. I also can’t imagine that he would want to release his detailed financial information. He also has zero personality and that would not resonate with voters. Ummm…the Texas governor has plenty of prestige, but very little power. The true power in Texas is the Lt. Governor, by design. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-perry-to-jump-into-the-race/583589/43 "2011-06-06T16:51:38Z")
So why don’t we ever hear of Texan lieutenant governors running for President? And for that matter, what kind of screwed-up system does Texas has, that the guy in charge is called the assistant? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-perry-to-jump-into-the-race/583589/44 "2011-06-06T18:28:52Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Ummm…the Texas governor has plenty of prestige, but very little power. The true power in Texas is the Lt. Governor, by design. This explains a lot about the Bush/Cheney administration. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-perry-to-jump-into-the-race/583589/45 "2011-06-06T19:44:38Z")
From [this website](http://texaspolitics.laits.utexas.edu/1_2_0.html), it sounds as if the governor has his explicitly limited powers, while the Lieutenant governor, due to his intended less powerful role, does not. It the LtG has more power, I would think it through his role as president of the legislature. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-perry-to-jump-into-the-race/583589/46 "2011-06-07T02:38:15Z")
Interesting [story](http://blogs.star-telegram.com/politex/2011/06/perry-invites-nations-governors-to-prayer-and-fasting-event-in-houston.html) here. Perry is attending a day of prayer sponsored by the American Family Association in August. Perry doesn’t need to pander to Evangelicals in Texas since he just won reelection. ---
**Author:** ![Recovering\_Republican](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@Recovering\_Republican](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Recovering_Republican)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-perry-to-jump-into-the-race/583589/47 "2011-06-10T10:40:44Z")
My thoughts on a Perry candidacy… Obama should be worried. Every other candidate has some kind of severe flaw that will make the GOP nomination a bloodbath. Romney’s a Mormon, and the evangelicals will never support a Mormon. Palin is disdained by the establishment for being, well, kind of dopey and crass. Gingrich is a joke. Bachmann appeals to the TEA bag nutters, but she’s feared by, well, sane Republicans. Perry is the one guy who could unite both the TEA Party and Establishment. He’s successfully hit all the hot buttons both sides like. He could easily win Iowa (and winning in Iowa would probably only take about 25% and South Carolina. The fact that Newt’s Staff all bailed yesterday, and a bunch of them have ties to Perry indicates that Perry has seen his moment. Because, hey, the last time we had a Texas Governor worked out so well. ---
**Author:** ![Recovering\_Republican](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@Recovering\_Republican](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Recovering_Republican)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-perry-to-jump-into-the-race/583589/48 "2011-06-10T10:49:28Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Partisanship aside, I think the bottom line is that the Republicans really don’t have a candidate who is a credibly better option that Obama. They really don’t have anything solid to attack him on. He’s had no scandals, no major mistakes, has had some success stabilizing the disastrous economic situation he inherited. On national security (an area the GOP usually tries to claim for itself), he’s been stellar. He drew down in Iraq, stepped up drone attacks in Afghanistan, killed bin Laden (and killed him in a very satisfying way), he handled that Somali pirate situation perfectly, etc. They can’t call him a pussy on national security. > > He really doesn’t have a vulnerability. The best they can do is to keep trying to portray his package of modest health care reforms (mostly just consumer protections from insurance companies) as “socialist.” But all that doesn’t really mean anything if unemployment doesn’t get better. If Unemployment is still at 9% or worse, higher next year, the Republicans can nominate the Cheney/C’Thulhu ticket and still win. Now, cards on the table, I didn’t vote for Obama, but I don’t think he’s done a bad job. Everything you say is accurate- he’s done a good job with the hand dealt to him. And frankly, nearly every Republican up this time scares me for different reasons. On Paper, Perry sounds great. Then again, so did George W. Bush and we all saw how well that worked out. (Hense, my handle.) ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-perry-to-jump-into-the-race/583589/49 "2011-06-10T13:30:16Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > From [this website](http://texaspolitics.laits.utexas.edu/1_2_0.html), it sounds as if the governor has his explicitly limited powers, while the Lieutenant governor, due to his intended less powerful role, does not. It the LtG has more power, I would think it through his role as president of the legislature. What makes the Lt. Gov. the real powerful politician is really one thing- he has procedural control of the legislature. What this means is that he has control over assignation of bills to committees, setting the legislative schedule, and determining what measures reach the floor. The governor can veto stuff, and a limited amount of other things, but the Lt. Governor is who has the statutory powers. What would worry me about a Perry presidency is that I’m not at all sure that his predilection for power-grabs and trying to concentrate more power in himself and the governor’s office, wouldn’t also travel to Washington with him. I think that concentrating more power in the Executive branch is a terrible thing, and the last thing we actually want. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-perry-to-jump-into-the-race/583589/50 "2011-06-10T13:50:25Z")
> [@Recovering\_Republican](#): > > My thoughts on a Perry candidacy… > > Obama should be worried. Every other candidate has some kind of severe flaw that will make the GOP nomination a bloodbath. Romney’s a Mormon, and the evangelicals will never support a Mormon. Palin is disdained by the establishment for being, well, kind of dopey and crass. Gingrich is a joke. Bachmann appeals to the TEA bag nutters, but she’s feared by, well, sane Republicans. > > Perry is the one guy who could unite both the TEA Party and Establishment. He’s successfully hit all the hot buttons both sides like. He could easily win Iowa (and winning in Iowa would probably only take about 25% and South Carolina. > > The fact that Newt’s Staff all bailed yesterday, and a bunch of them have ties to Perry indicates that Perry has seen his moment. > > Because, hey, the last time we had a Texas Governor worked out so well. It’s going to be hard for Perry to explain his secessionist remarks. He has also said he wants to teach creationism in schools, denies global warming and said he believes that anyone who is not a Christian goes to Hell. I don’t see how he’s going to have any appeal to moderates. He’s socially even more nuts than Bachmann or Palin. ---
**Author:** ![Profound\_Gibberish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Profound\_Gibberish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Profound_Gibberish)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-perry-to-jump-into-the-race/583589/51 "2011-06-10T13:59:16Z")
Perry has waaaaaaayyyyyyy too much right fringe baggage to attract moderates. He also happens to be a complete idiot. This will become clearly evident at any debate. Don’t waste you time on him. I give his electability potential two Gingrich’s. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-perry-to-jump-into-the-race/583589/52 "2011-06-10T14:05:10Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > Oh come on, you know perfectly well the right-wing-spin-machine will turn his succession talk into being a “Real American, like our founding fathers, rebelling against tyrany!” That flys with the base he already has locked up. What about the other 70% of Americans who\* are\* sane? I don’t buy that line. No one I know, both Liberal and Conservative bought that line. How would that win over the Independents and Right leaning Democrats that he would need to peel away from Obama? ---
**Author:** ![Recovering\_Republican](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@Recovering\_Republican](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Recovering_Republican)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-perry-to-jump-into-the-race/583589/53 "2011-06-10T23:16:01Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > It’s going to be hard for Perry to explain his secessionist remarks. He has also said he wants to teach creationism in schools, denies global warming and said he believes that anyone who is not a Christian goes to Hell. I don’t see how he’s going to have any appeal to moderates. He’s socially even more nuts than Bachmann or Palin. The Secessionist remarks MIGHT be a problem. Creationism and global warming and only CHristians go to Heaven. Hate to say it, those are pretty mainstream views amongst Americans. For instance, only 19% believe that man evolved without any help from God. The rest either believe evolution was guided by God or the Biblical version is literally true. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![JimH52](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@JimH52](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimH52)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2011, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-perry-to-jump-into-the-race/583589/54 "2011-06-13T11:35:25Z")
[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43358635/ns/politics-decision\_2012/](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43358635/ns/politics-decision_2012/) It seems be may be posturing to do just that. Would he instantly become the front runner for the GOP? ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2011, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-perry-to-jump-into-the-race/583589/55 "2011-06-13T12:03:45Z")
I don’t believe he’d instantly become _the_ front-runner, but he’d certainly instantly join the front-runners. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2011, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-perry-to-jump-into-the-race/583589/56 "2011-06-13T12:17:04Z")
You mean there are people who _like_this bozo? What has he done notable except threaten to secede? ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2011, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-perry-to-jump-into-the-race/583589/57 "2011-06-13T12:31:16Z")
He’s photogenic, he’s charismatic and he’s politically smart as a whip. There are rumors that Palin may endorse him rather than make a run for the nomination herself (which she wouldn’t get anyway). He’s also popular with the Tea Party wing and the mainstream Republicans, which is a feat in itself. All in all, with the economy still in the tank and the Bin Laden bounce a wistful memory, he spells trouble for the Dems. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2011, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-perry-to-jump-into-the-race/583589/58 "2011-06-13T13:15:31Z")
Merged duplicate threads. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2011, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-perry-to-jump-into-the-race/583589/59 "2011-06-13T14:40:33Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > He’s photogenic, he’s charismatic and he’s politically smart as a whip. There are rumors that Palin may endorse him rather than make a run for the nomination herself (which she wouldn’t get anyway). He’s also popular with the Tea Party wing and the mainstream Republicans, which is a feat in itself. All in all, with the economy still in the tank and the Bin Laden bounce a wistful memory, he spells trouble for the Dems. He’s a douchebag secessionist, creationist, global warming denier with no appeal outside of the teabaggers. I don’t know why anybody thinks this asshole could crossover to the mainstream. If you think this dipshit is a savior for the GOP, you’re dreaming. Like it or not, the Republicans have no shot at all unless they nominate somebody who can offer something to moderates and indepenents. What’s Perry’s big plan for bringing back the economy? The righties are going to have to do something besides call Obama a socialist, and they’re going to have to drop their moronic social issues - especially the completely fantastic stuff like climate change denial. That’s not going to cut it in a General Election anymore. I think Rick Perry is this cycle’s Fred Thompson. Remember how he was supposed to be the savior of the GOP? Then once he got in, he totally fizzled. It’s going to be Romney. Rick Perry doesn’t want to be an Amrican. That, all by itself, makes his candidacy a non-starter, and when you throw in all the crazy, stupid social issue stuff, the total lack of any economic credentials (Texas in the shitter right now), and his charmless, reptilian personality, he’s got no prayer at all. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2011, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-perry-to-jump-into-the-race/583589/60 "2011-06-13T14:42:47Z")
It might be because I see most of his stupid acts, but I don’t think he’s that strong of a candidate. He did not actually perform as well as he had hoped in the last election, as the Dem. candidate tallied over 40%. In TX these days, that’s a moral victory. If he gets the nomination, I would see him as less of a threat than Romney. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-perry-to-jump-into-the-race/583589.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-perry-to-jump-into-the-race/583589.md?page=4)