Five Myths About Rick Perry
Posted By Ben Shapiro On August 17, 2011 @ 12:20 am In Daily Mailer
Gov. Rick Perry of Texas is now the frontrunner for the Republican nomination. Many people are aware of his focus on the Tenth Amendment, his state’s tremendous record of job creation (40% of all jobs created since the beginning of the recession have been in Texas), and his formidable campaigning abilities. But as with all other Republican candidates, there are rumors swirling about his positions and history that are worth examining. Let’s take them, point by point.
Myth #1: Perry is the return of Bush and therefore unelectable.
Unlike Sarah Palin, Perry is literally undefeated. He has never lost an election – that’s ten straight contested elections. In 2008, Perry ripped President Bush’s high-spending approach to governance. In revenge, the entire Bush political team – Bush 41, James Baker, Karl Rove, Karen Hughes — mobilized against him in 2010, backing squishy Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison in the gubernatorial race. Hutchison started up with a 25 point lead, thanks to that support. By the end of the primaries, Hutchison was down 22 points. That’s a 47 point swing, folks. Perry is able to gain wide and deep support. He’s not Bush – Karl Rove is already attacking him. And he knows how to punch his opponents in the mouth, as Mitt Romney is already learning.