We like to think that Texas politics is as rough as it gets, but it really isn’t. This has been a one-party state since W. defeated Ann in 1994. Perry has had a lot of money spent against him, but he has never been in danger of losing a race since the light gov battle against John Sharp in 1998. Perry has had it so easy in the last decade that I wonder if it has dulled his political acumen. He has looked lost at times in the debates. Last night (Thursday) was one of those times. He couldn’t even deliver his prepackaged lines. He also says things that are patently false, such as his earlier claim that the poverty rate is the highest in history.

The fact is that Perry has gotten this far without ever having to deal with a talented opponent, other than Sharp. He refused to debate Bill White in the general election, on trumped-up grounds; he ducked out on the National Conference of Editorial Writers when they met in Dallas a couple of years ago, choosing to speak with local TV reporters instead; he wouldn’t talk to any newspaper editorial boards in Texas during his race with Bill White. The problem is, he hasn’t had any big-league experience, and it shows. Sooner or later, he was bound to pay a price for not engaging in the give and take of a major political campaign. (more…)

Tagged: republican presidential primary, rick perry, the big leagues