Free Republic

Since his first race for office more than a quarter century ago, Gov. Rick Perry has emphasized his roots as a rural farmer. Yet Perry's bank account no longer reflects those humble beginnings as his bottom line has soared in recent years, records show, thanks largely to a handful of real estate deals that critics allege were achieved through the presidential candidates's political connections.

On the campaign trail, 2012 presidential hopeful Rick Perry plays up his humble roots as a dryland cotton farmer from rural Texas. He rarely, if ever, mentions that he has become a pretty savvy real estate investor during his more than 25 years in office. The Fort Worth Star Telegram reports that Perry's income has soared as he has climbed the political ladder in Austin, thanks largely to a handful of lucrative real estate deals that have made him a millionaire. When Perry was first elected to office in 1985, as a state representative from Haskell, he and his wife...