So you are denying that Karl Rove ever had a role
in Rick Perry’s political career?
Rove “touting”?
I think you mean: “resenting”.
Once.
In 1989 (22 years ago) Rove backed Perry (new "R" -- long time conservative democrat "pit bull" who Phil Gramm had recruited, along with other conservatives, to join him on the right side of the aisle) against a Democrat for Agricultural Commission. That was the first and last time Rove worked FOR Perry.
In Perry's 1998 run for Texas Lt. Gov., he and his team had to fight off Rove's suggestion that they should soft peddle to win (Rove was trying to get Bush re-elected and on to his White House run and wanted to widen his voting base). Perry did it his way - campaigning hard against a popular Democratic Party state politician and won the seat. Rick Perry became the first Republican Lt. Gov of Texas since reconstruction.
In 2010: Perry's 2nd re-election campaign (for his 3rd term as governor, as he became Texas gov when G.W.B moved to the WH in 2000), Karl Rove and most of the Bush machine worked on Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's primary challenge against Perry.
Despite all the money behind Hutchison ($14 million), Rick Perry took the primary and then went on to beat Democrat Bill White (who had $25 million in his war chest -- a majority from trial lawyers).
Perry had a total of $38 million to defend his office against those 2010 opponents (not bad money and not Rove money). Perry won with no major news outlet endorsement and without debating his opponent.
Rick Perry won because the people of Texas wanted Rick Perry running the state. And as soon as the country learns about Rick Perry and sees him campaign and knows his positions about the direction he sees for the country, they will put him in the White House.