Rick PerryThe conventional wisdom is that Americans aren’t ready to install another Texas cowboy in the White House. But with the GOP’s leading presidential contenders sinking fast, Texas Governor and tea party fave Rick Perry appears to be quietly testing the waters. From Real Clear Politics:
A Texas pol who is close to Perry has been telling a few key strategists that the nation’s longest-serving governor sees a vacuum and is waiting to be summoned into the race. This source believes that could happen by late summer. . . .According to another well-connected Republican, at least one Perry confidant has been very quietly making inquiries about the political terrain in the nation’s first voting state of Iowa. A third Perry associate, RCP has learned, has been heralding a small contingent of Iowans with the time-tested line that is often used by would-be candidates who are leaving their options open: “Keep your powder dry.”
Perry 2012 might not be as far-fetched as it seems. Perry can argue that the Texas economy is doing comparatively well, can tap a deep bench of GOP donors, and enjoys unassailable credibility from the GOP base. On the other hand, his right-wing bona fides won’t help America to forget its Bush-era hangover. More on this soon, but in the meantime, leave your thoughts in the comments.
