"Run, Rick, Run," was the cheer Texas Gov. Rick Perry heard at the conclusion of his speech at the Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans. According to Politico, Perry is 50/50 on whether he'll oblige his supporters with a presidential bid. Perry, who succeeded George W. Bush as governor of Texas, has strong executive credentials. Not only is he the longest -enured governor in Texas history, but he is currently the longest-sitting governor in the United States. The question is: Could Rick Perry be president?
The Good
Should he run, Perry will stand on a foundation of anti-government conservatism. Perry appeals to the Tea Party's dislike of government interference. In his book Fed Up, Perry wrote, "We are tired of being told how much salt we can put on our food...what kind of cars we can drive, what kind of guns we can own." Perry has argued for states' rights, and was even perceived to have advocated for the secession of Texas from the Union, according to the Huffington Post. Highly charged language such as this paints Perry as a rugged individualist who could satisfy the Tea Party's desire for smaller government.
"It's the economy, stupid" will be the mantra of yet another American presidential season, and Perry looks anything but stupid in his handling of the Texas economy. Texas' unemployment rate is 8 percent, a full percentage point under the the national average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Even more impressively, in the last 10 years, Texas has added 732,800 private-sector jobs; the state's closest competitor, Arizona, added 90,200, reports The Business Journals. Gov. Perry will argue that Texas' success is owed to the implementation of Republican fiscal policies. These statistics will be used to back up that argument.
The Bad
What makes Perry attractive to some will lose him support among others. According to Perry's website, the governor championed an amendment to the Texas Constitution that defines marriage as a union between one man and one woman. Regarding abortion, Perry helped establish some of the strictest third trimester restrictions in the country. Perry has drawn the ire of secular elements in America in helping to organize "The Response: a call to prayer for a nation in crisis." The governor states on the event's website, "As a nation, we must come together and call upon Jesus to guide us through unprecedented struggles." Liberals will paint Perry as a religious zealot who will blur the line between church and state.
Perry may also fall victim to bad timing. He is the governor of Texas, and Americans may not be prepared to replay that country tune. A combined 47 percent of Americans still believe George W. Bush and his administration are "solely responsible" or "mainly responsible" for the ailing economy, while only 34 percent blame the Obama administration, according to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll. Americans will automatically associate Perry with Bush, and it appears the Bush years are still engrained in the national consciousness.
Numbers Don't Lie; Well, Maybe for Now
At this point, polls tell us little about Perry's chances in a presidential run. An NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll shows Perry trailing frontrunner Mitt Romney by 22 points. A Texas Lyceum poll finds that in his home state, Perry's approval rating is only 3 percentage points better than President Obama's, 54 percent to 51 percent. Should Perry keep his boots, which he affectionately calls "freedom" and "liberty," in Texas? Other polls indicate perhaps not. An IBOPE Zogby /Newsmax poll has Perry trouncing Mitt Romney 55 percent to 22 percent among likely Republican primary voters.
The most comforting poll number may come from the liberal bastion of California. Of the Californians polled, 57 percent held no opinion on Perry, according to the Dallas Morning News. Perry does not possess the name recognition of a Sarah Palin, which gives him the ability to mold his persona.
Tick, Tick, Tick
Perry's candidacy is very much in its infancy, but time is of the essence. He is already at a fundraising disadvantage, and while President Obama tweets from the White House, Perry has a small social media presence with only 64,434 likes on Facebook. The Republican primary will not be so much about substance as who will be perceived as having the best chance of beating Obama. Gov. Perry is the antithesis of Obama and could be that candidate. In the general election, Perry would have to draw enough Independents to piece together an electoral puzzle with more red pieces than blue. Could Rick Perry be president? Maybe; but first he must enter the race.
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