Rick Perry Jabs Ted Cruz’s Impact in Texas

Roll Call ^ | 1:56 p.m. on June 19 | Alexis Levinson

[SoConPubbie]

Rick Perry is the governor of Texas. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Texas Gov. Rick Perry needled GOP Sen. Ted Cruz, saying he was skeptical a “junior senator” could have made a big difference in state politics.

“Texas is pretty big; it’s pretty diverse; the legislature is a microcosm of the state, so I’m not sure one person has the ability to change all that,” Perry, a Republican, told reporters at a Thursday lunch hosted by the Christian Science Monitor.

Perry, who openly acknowledges he is mulling a presidential bid in 2016, has often been on the opposite side of Cruz in local politics. In 2012, Cruz defeated Perry’s endorsed candidate, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, in a runoff for the Senate. 

This cycle, Cruz— who is also considering a 2016 bid — has largely stayed out of federal elections, with a couple exceptions. But Cruz has played in some of the state elections in Texas, including endorsing state Sen. Dan Patrick over Dewhurst’s re-election earlier this year.

“We all get our 15 seconds of fame, right,” Perry said. “Whether it was Ann Richards, or whether it was George W. Bush or whether it was Rick Perry or whether it was Ted Cruz. Long term, I think it requires somebody with substantial staying power to make a long-term difference in Texas.

“The idea that a personality in the political arena can change Texas may be a little bit outside the realm of reality,” he continued. “Ask me in eight years if Sen. Cruz has made an impact on the state. At this particular point in time, it’s a little early to say that a junior senator would have substantively changed the state.”

[tanknetter]

Actually, I support early coalescing around a common candidate as well.

But we also need to see how candidates perform on the Presidential nomination stage. Being a winning nominee isn’t just about stances on issues, it’s also about performing as a candidate and building an effective political organization.

It’s more of an art than a science, but I think that the coalescing needs to happen right after the South Carolina primary.

[tanknetter]

Also consider that Bush 41’s behavior in the 1992 campaign was due to being overmedicated for Graves Disease.

I was once told by a senior GOP operative that the day after Pat Buchannan won the NH primary Bush was supposed to come out to apologize for raising taxes, do a mea culpa and ask for forgiveness from Conservatives. Even had the speech ready to go. But 41 woke up cranky due to meds and cancelled the whole thing. Which was probably his best chance to prevent Clinton from becoming President.

With so much on the line, being overmedicated is to me a really poor excuse for being a crappy Presidentisl candidate.

[House Atreides]

JEALOUSY, thy name is Perry.

[varina davis]

Gov. Perry is an original true American and that rates extremely high in my opinion. Perry’s name recognition has increased exponentially in the past couple of years due to his jobs success in Texas, his general governance of a huge, economically diversified state and his cautious handling of immigration, realizing that his legal constituents are also diversified.

I can get behind and work for a Perry 2016 candidacy with no qualms.

[tillacum]

One of the worst things Republican presidential wannabes, do is gang up on one another. NO WONDER we’ve lost so
many elections. I believe Pres. Reagan had the right
idea, “Don’t speak ill of those in your own party”. Instead
of Rick saying, he was skeptical of Cruz making a difference in state politics”, he could have said something like Cruz is sticking to his conservative ideals and he admired Cruz for that. Though I admire Rick, I do not
like backbiting someone in my party.

[alstewartfan]

If all these candidates jump into the race, this will give Jeb or Krispy his only chance to win. I say let’s all get behind ONE candidate, Ted Cruz, right after the ‘14 elections are over. Bob

[peyton randolph]

With so much on the line, being overmedicated is to me a really poor excuse for being a crappy Presidentisl candidate.

---

Agreed. Note that in 2012, Haley Barbour of the GOP-e decided not to run because he had the same back surgery/medication issue as Perry did. Perry should have followed Barbour's lead and sat out 2012.