Rick Perry: Then and Now

It is only a matter of time before Texas Governor Rick Perry throws his hat in the ring for president. As the longest serving Governor of the world's 15th largest economy, Rick Perry seems to have the experience and leadership skills necessary to take it to the next level and be the leader of the Federal government.

Before he was Governor, Lt. Governor, or even Ag. Commissioner, Rick Perry was elected to the Texas House of Representatives as a Democrat. Even as a Democrat however, he was shown to be one of the biggest voices of fiscal conservatism, voting more often than not to keep spending low.

As a freshman, his views on government spending led him to a swift appointment by Speaker Lewis to the State Appropriations committee, a powerful committee that controls the budget for the entire state. With the exception of his 1987 vote to raise taxes, his House record was pretty consistent with his views on tax and spending.

On September 29, 1989, Rick Perry switched to the Republican party and began a campaign to become Ag. Commissioner for the State of Texas. Within a year he defied all odds and became one of only two Republicans elected to statewide office. A decade later, after a short stint as Lt. Governor, Rick Perry would become the Governor of Texas as George Bush moved on to the Presidency.

Rick Perry undeniably is a good leader and has shown that he has the ability to push through legislation when he makes it his priority. With that said, he has a lot of skeletons in his closet that would arise in an instant if he made a run for the oval office: he was democrat, he voted to raise taxes in a recession, he was an outspoken Al Gore supporter (when he ran as a southern conservative), he was responsible for eminent domain in Texas, there was the HPV shot controversy, there is video of him attempting to use his political influence to avoid a ticket, he has been weak on securing the Texas border... and i'm sure there are more.

It will be interesting to see how the GOP primary plays out if indeed Governor Perry attempts to run for office. He is loved by both the 'Tea Party' and the Republican Party and is very good at raising money. His tendency to challenge Obama on every issue that comes up makes him a favorite for those voting against the current establishment. He is an experienced leader that has made a lot of mistakes in his almost 30 years in politics, but he has also shown that when his supporters need a voice he will stand up and speak for them.

Taking a Look at the Governor, Back when he was a Democrat

Bigger threat to Michele Bachmann: Media scrutiny or Rick Perry?

“All of them were very conservative guys and had a good head on their shoulders, and that’s how I picked ’em,” Mr. Lewis said. “When he first came to the Legislature it was predominantly white, Democratic, conservative. He was one of them, and I was, too.”