Politics
Rick Perry's Lone Star Is Rising
Texas governor is right on Mitt Romney's heels in two new polls
Around the State
Texas Gov. Rick PerryA poll taken by ORC International for CNN unveiled Friday shows Romney leading the pack with 16 percent and Perry a close second with 14 percent. Two other candidates who are considering entering the race -- former Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani -- are tied for third at 13 percent, with surging freshman Congresswoman Michele Bachmann of Minnesota right behind at 12 percent.
The rest of the pack trail in single digits. U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas took sixth with 8 percent. Businessman Herman Cain came in seventh with 6 percent, followed by a fellow Georgian, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who garnered 4 percent. Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota took 3 percent, followed by former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania with 2 percent. Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman lags behind with 1 percent.
The poll of 455 Republicans and Republican-leaning independents was taken from July 18-20 and has a margin of error of +/- 4.5 percent.
Perry also did well in a poll taken by Anderson Robbins Research and Shaw & Company Research for Fox News. That one was released late Thursday.
Romney topped the Fox News poll, taking 17 percent while once again, Perry placed second with 14 percent. Bachmann came in third with 10 percent.
The rest of the field is in single digits. Giuliani, Palin and Paul are all knotted together in fourth place with 9 percent. Cain took seventh with 5 percent, followed once again by Gingrich with 4 percent. Pawlenty and Santorum tied for ninth with 2 percent followed by Huntsman at 1 percent.
The poll of 323 Republican primary voters was taken between July 17-19 and has a margin of error of +/- 5.5 percent.
Elected lieutenant governor of the Lone Star State in 1998, Perry moved up to the top job when George W. Bush was sworn in as president after the 2000 election. Perry has faced three gubernatorial elections and prevailed -- most recently turning back a serious primary challenge from U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.
A sharp critic of the role of the federal government, Perry, a two-time head of the Republican Governors Association, said throughout 2010 that he is not interested in making a run for the presidency, but opened the door at the end of May 2011 for launching a bid of his own.
Perry has had a busy July and signs are increasingly pointing to his entering the race. This past week he was out in California -- his third trip to that state in recent weeks -- meeting potential donors. He also has received briefings on international issues set up by former U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
Comments (5)
For Romney to win, he will need to capture the hearts of both Evangelicals and "Reagan Democrats" AKA "D.I.N.O.s"(Democrats in name only). They are numerous in places like North Florida and Eastern North Carolina and Southeast Virginia. To most "D.I.N.O.s" Romney is the "slick rich guy." Evangelicals, at best, will vote for him "holding their noses." Many will stay home! Perry, a former Democrat, will be "the real deal" as far as "D.I.N.O.s" are concerned! The Evangelicals will not only support him but actively campaign for him! Many "D.I.N.O.s" and Evangelicals are Tea Partiers. Perry is the only candidate truly respected by both Establishment and Tea Party Republicans. Unlike Romney, Perry has a background in Agriculture. This could tip the scales in Iowa for the Republicans. While New Hampshire is a "toss up," don't think that the "Free State Project" won't be impressed by Perry's 10th amendment reverence! Perry's record of Job creation should score big points in Ohio and Michigan. If Perry is able to convince Marco Rubio to be his running mate, Florida, Nevada, Colorado and New Mexico will likely be "iced" for the Republicans. New Jersey might even be in play! The problem for Romney is he "must" decisively win "D.I.N.O.s" and Evangelicals. If his showing is only tepid, it could cost the GOP states such as North Carolina and Iowa. This could make the difference in a close election! There is also the question of Hispanic voters. Obviously Rubio would help both candidates; not only with Latinos but with young(18-34) voters. But without Rubio on the ticket, Romney would likely not receive the necessary 40% to win. Perry might fall short as well. But being from, residing in and running a large diverse state like Texas would naturally make him more aware of border issues! Perhaps the biggest problem for Romney is that much of the Republican base simply doesn't trust him! In the end, that could be the difference.
Perhaps he has done something really important in the Senate since being elected.......and what would that be?
I wonder if Governor Perry remembers that Texas tried to leave the Union in 1861. Something caused Texas to reconsider.
So if he is elected, is he a Texan first, and an American second? As an American who happens not to reside in the Lone Star State, this does not give me a warm fuzzy feeling.