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Watching and Waiting: Rick Perry 2012

The Governor continues to expand his national reach through outreach in key states and speaking events
Photo by KUT News
The Governor continues to expand his national reach through outreach in key states and speaking events

Here's a look at the latest media coverage of Governor Perry's would-be Presidential candidacy.

Perry Reaching Out in Key States

In one of our recent "Watching and Waiting" posts, we linked to a story saying that a group called Americans for Rick Perry has been hiring campaign staff in Iowa.  Now, according to National Public Radio, Perry aides and the Governor himself have been calling influential Republicans in key states including New Hampshire and South Carolina. USA Today reports that Perry associates have reached out to Katon Dawson, the former Chairman of the South Carolina GOP and until recently Newt Gingrich’s South Carolina campaign chair. South Carolina is scheduled to hold the third key Republican nominating contest, after the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary.   

Perry Finishes 3rd in Poll Behind Other “Job Creators”

In a straw poll held over the weekend co-sponsored by The Washington Times and The Conservative Leadership Conference, Governor Perry came in third with 17% of the vote behind former businessman Herman Cain (24%) and former Massachusetts Governor and venture capitalist Mitt Romney (21%).  Since June of 2009, Texas has been responsible for 29% of all jobs added nationally, giving Governor Perry the job creation credentials to campaign (or not campaign?) alongside former business executives. A disappointing jobs report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics this past Friday, showing only 18,000 jobs added to the economy in the month of June, may have increased concern about job creation among those polled.

Perry—Following in Footsteps of Past Candidates—to Speak at Nation’s Largest Christian University

Liberty University, the Christian university founded by the now deceased Jerry Falwell Sr., has hosted many Republican presidential hopefuls: John McCain, Ron Paul, and Mike Huckabee all spoke at Liberty in 2008. According to the Austin American-Statesman, Governor Perry will speak at a convocation ceremony at Liberty on September 14.  According to Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr., "How well [candidates] are received at Liberty will be a good indicator for how they will be received in Christian circles nationwide."  You can see where Governor Perry will be over the next few months and where here has been using the Texas Tribune’s “Perry Tracker.”