Rick Perry

Rick Perry is the forty-seventh governor of Texas and the nation’s longest-serving governor, a run that started when he stepped up to succeed newly elected president George W. Bush on December 21, 2000. Perry won his first full term on November 2, 2002, in an election that ushered in a new era of Republican dominance in Texas leadership. He won two more elections and was sworn in for an unprecedented fourth time on January 18, 2011. Perry, a graduate of Texas A&M University, is the first Aggie to be governor. A fifth-generation Texan, he is married to Anita Perry. They have two children, Griffin and Sydney.
For most of history, Texas has been considered a “weak governor” state. That changed under Perry’s leadership. “His long tenure in office . . . has enabled him to establish what amounts to a cabinet style of government,” giving him vastly more power than any of his predecessors, senior executive editor Paul Burka wrote in 2009.
Perry was born on March 4, 1950, and was raised by Ray and Amelia Perry in a modest frame house with no indoor plumbing in the tiny, unincorporated town of Paint Creek. His father worked their 10,000-acre cotton farm and was a county commissioner for 28 years; his mother was a bookkeeper at a nearby gin. (His mother sewed his underwear through college, he told editor Jake Silverstein in 2011.) He enrolled at Texas A&M, and was elected by the student body to be a yell leader, joining an elite group of five guys who lead football cheers. After graduation in 1972, he enlisted in the military. He flew transport planes for the Air Force, and when his tour ended in 1977, he returned to Paint Creek to take over the family ranch operation.
Perry entered a local state representative race as a Democrat in 1984 and won handily–the first of ten straight political victories, proving that he was a “great campaigner,” as we called him in 2011. During a certain point in his career, Perry came to realize that a conservative D like himself had little opportunity to win statewide office. This dovetailed nicely with Senator Phil Gramm aggressive efforts to woo converts to the Republican party, and in the fall of 1989, Perry announced he was going to switch parties.
In 2011 during a RedState rally in South Carolina, Perry announced his intention to run for the office of President of the United States of America. He dropped out 159 days later, ending what was widely considered to be a poorly run campaign, and endorsed Newt Gingrich. Texas Monthly named Perry the 2012 Bum Steer of the Year, a decision that was finalized, “in a matter of seconds. Fifty-three of them, to be exact: the time it took the governor to go from trying in vain to name the third agency of government he would shutter as president to giving up and muttering—in a phrase that will surely go down . . . as [his campaign’s] perfect epitaph—’Oops.'”
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Rick Perry Wasn’t the Only One Who got Punked
Was Perry the victim of pranksters or Russian kompromat?
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Double Entendres as Rick Perry Dodges Climate Change Questions
Rick Perry manages to avoid being pinned down at his Senate confirmation hearing.
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A Texas Showdown on ‘Dancing With the Stars’
Rick Perry takes on fellow Texan Vanilla Ice with the paso doble.
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Rick Perry Looks for Greener Pastures on ‘Dancing With the Stars’
The former governor’s second appearance on the show was a marked improvement from last week, but the judges still weren’t impressed.
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Rick Perry and Black Lives Matter
Last week, the former governor weighed in on the movement in an unexpected way.
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Rick Perry: An Appreciation
Perry left his second presidential run on his own terms. That alone is a victory.
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The Disruption of Rick Perry
The former Texas governor has been a product of disruption—but also its victim.
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Why Rick Perry Can Still Win the Republican Nomination
If he hustles, his story and his record could set him above the pack.
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What Are The Best And Worst Case Scenarios For Rick Perry Now?
The longtime Texas governor and laughingstock of the 2012 Republican primaries failed to make it to the majors in the Fox News GOP debate. Where does that leave him in the race for the 2016 nomination?
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6 Times Rick Perry Surprised Us All in the 2016 Republican Primary Race
The glasses are just the start.
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How Donald Trump Is Helping Rick Perry’s Campaign
Donald Trump’s immigration tirades are opening up doors for Rick Perry.
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“Accidents,” “Oops,” and Rick Perry 2016
The one presidential candidate who absolutely can’t make mistakes made a mistake.
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Everybody* Is Pumped for the Sequel of Perry for Prez
By “everybody,” we mostly mean “folks in the media,” but boy, are they excited.
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Is Rick Perry Running as the Liberal in the GOP Primary Field?
“Liberal” being a relative term, naturally.
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Here’s What We Know So Far About the Texas Women’s Health Program
In 2011 the Texas Legislature turned down federal money in order to exclude Planned Parenthood from receiving state funds. Four years later a new report shows what happens when a state takes over the Women’s Health Program.
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The Arguments Against Obama’s Executive Action on Immigration
On Thursday, the president said that Congress had left him no choice but to act alone. Conservatives can argue otherwise.
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The David Dewhurst Exit Interview
After twelve years in office and two crushing political defeats, the soon-to-be-former lieutenant governor gamely discusses his tenure and Texas’s future. Just don’t ask him about Dan Patrick.
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A response from Michael Williams
Texas’s Commissioner of Education gives our Perry Report Card an F.
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First We Said Goodbye to George
Now it’s time to see off another pillar in the Texas community: our governor. A look into our July issue, featuring Rick Perry on the cover.
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A Day in the Life of Rick Perry
Photographer Peter Yang captures the candid, behind-the-scenes moments in a day in the life of the governor.
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Face to Face With Rick Perry
A frank conversation about the accomplishments and the missteps over a fourteen-year gubernatorial career—from tort reform to his executive order on HPV—with the man who can claim the longest, and most powerful, tenure of any governor in Texas history (and also what’s next in 2016).
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Perry Report Card: Criminal Justice
Yesterday, when we unveiled the cover of our July issue featuring Rick Perry, we also told you about “The Perry Report Card,” an upcoming magazine feature where, as the title suggests, we graded the tenure of the governor on eight …
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Rick Perry Exits the Stage
Our July cover features Rick Perry, who is wrapping up his historic tenure as governor of Texas.
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Perry’s Constitutional Philosophy
The governor gave a rousing speech, but his interpretation of the Constitution is too narrow
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Police Should Be Educated About Laws Surrounding Service Animals
Disabled veterans are having a rough time bringing their service dogs into businesses, despite laws allowing them to do so.
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Perry in Davos
The governor’s support for decriminalizing marijuana surprised people, but he’s been a critic of the “war on drugs” for a long time.
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Even Rick Perry Is In Favor Of Decriminalizing Marijuana Now
Get the guy a pair of new glasses and apparently he loosens right up.
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Perry v. Obama
Yesterday Rick Perry called the Affordable Care Act, “a criminal act.” This is an example of why Perry will never be president. He has a mean streak a mile wide. Readers will recall that he attacked the Fed’s Bernanke in …
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Happy Trails
Rick Perry’s legacy will rise and fall on the “Texas miracle.” Is it real? If so, should he get the credit?
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Perry’s Tax Cut
At a press conference on Monday, Governor Perry called for $1.6 billion in business tax cuts–including 5 percent off the margins tax–in an attempt to make good on his promise for “tax relief” this session. What does this prove? That …
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Our Aggie Governor’s Prediction for a Democratic-Leaning State…
“The University of Texas will change its colors to maroon and white before Texas goes purple, much less blue.” – Rick Perry, always thinking about college football (just like all of us). (From the Wall Street Journal. For the back story, read Erica Greider’s …
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Rick Perry to Californians: Come Check Out Texas
Perry’s thirty-second radio ad aimed at wooing businesspeople will run in six Californian cities.
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“Oops” Gaffe Still Haunts Perry
The governor’s infamous debate gaffe topped Politico’s list of “The 50 Craziest Quotes of the 2012 Campaign.”
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Rick Perry Drops Out of the Race
At a press conference in South Carolina, the governor officially announced that he is ending his presidential campaign and endorsed Newt Ginrich.
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Ted or Alive
In the late seventies, Ted Nugent (a.k.a. “the Nuge” or “Uncle Ted”) had the country’s biggest hard-rock touring act—a wild-ass blend of in-your-face energy, obscene language, and a well-placed loincloth. Now he’s the country’s biggest gun rights advocate—and all that’s changed is the loincloth.
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The 2012 Bum Steer Awards
It was a year of avaricious Astros fans, brainless bank robbers, competence-free comptrollers, discourteous doctors, enraged exes, frisky Frisco-ites, greedy gram-toting grandmothers, hotheaded hand surgeons, ill-informed idiots, jammed-full Jaguars, knife-krazy Kimbroughs, lambasted Lufkinites, mean-spirited magazine articles, nervy narcotics users, obtuse O’Neals, profane pilots, quazy Quaids, romantically rejected receivers, surveilling Scientologists, tumescent team mascots, unprivate urinators, value-subtracted vouchers, wind-challenged windows, x-foliated x-hibitionists, yobbish YouTubers, and zealous Zanes.
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Commercial Appeal
It’s no accident that Rick Perry has a 10-0 election record. Watch the campaign ads that helped convince voters he was the man for the job.
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The Great Campaigner
After eleven contested elections dating back three decades, Rick Perry remains undefeated. Is he brilliant? Lucky? Ruthless? We asked the people who know best—his vanquished opponents.
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Rick Perry
“We’ve got roads to build and agencies to fix and health care to be dispensed and cancers to cure. And that’s what I’m focusing on.”
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151–175
From the construction of the state’s first public university in College Station to the swearing in of Governor Rick Perry for a third full term in Austin
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Power Company
As we head into the most critical legislative session in decades—maybe ever—the question is not just, Who are the people with the most clout at the Capitol? It’s also, What do they want?
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Separated At Death
Ernest Willis spent seventeen years on death row for a crime he didn’t commit. And he has a few things to say about the case of Cameron Todd Willingham, who was executed in 2004 for a strangely similar crime that many experts believe he didn’t commit either.
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TRANSCRIPT: “Very Few People Get off of Texas Death Row Alive”
Michael Hall’s exclusive interview with Ernest Willis.
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Let There Be Right
The Republicans whipped the Democrats in November. Now what are they going to do?
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Right Place, Right Time
A year ago Rick Perry’s political future seemed to be in peril. Now he’s looking past the 2010 elections—and all the way to the White House. Think I’m kidding? How about a cup of tea?
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It’s Rick Perry’s Party Now
Sophisticated, likable politician? Arrogant, not-ready- for-prime-time player? Rick Perry is both—as well as the presumptive next governor of Texas.
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Can Rick Perry Stand On His Own?
And just how long are his coattails? Texas politics is always interesting, but the 2002 election—with two formidable tickets, four big races, and a healthy debate over whether this is still a two-party state—promises to be one for the books.
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Gov Hunt
As the only man ever to run against both Bill White and Rick Perry, I have a few thoughts on how either one of these fine, upstanding, admirable men could beat the tar out of the other.
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“Friedman’s Just Another Word for Nothing Left to Lose”
The Kinky-for-governor circus pulls into Galveston.
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The Great White Hope
During his three terms in office, Houston’s Bill White has been one of the most popular big-city mayors in America. Now he’s just the latest in a long line of Texas Democrats trying to win a statewide election. What makes Mayor Bill think he can break a fifteen-year losing streak?
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Boy’s Life
They may disagree on just about everything, but Rick Perry and Bill White have one thing in common: a Texas childhood.
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The Thrilla in Vanilla
The looming clash between Republican gubernatorial candidates Rick Perry and Kay Bailey Hutchison may not be as fearsome as the storied Ali-Frazier bout, but it’s the heavyweight showdown every Texas political junkie has been waiting for.
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Dome Away From Home
Inside the Eighth Wonder of the World—the largest shelter ever organized by the American Red Cross—faith, hope, and charity helped the survivors of Hurricane Katrina begin the process of rebuilding their lives.
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Greg Abbott’s War
The state attorney general on Obamacare, secession, and challenges to Texas sovereignty.
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The Governor’s Mansion Renovation Has Some Preservationists Wringing Their Hands
The recent renovation to the state’s most historic home left some preservationists worried that the changes to the mansion would be too significant.
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It’s Not About the Guv
There’s more to Texas politics than Rick Perry. Gail Collins’s new book demonstrates that the Northeastern media establishment doesn’t understand that.
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Is There Life After Rick Perry?
When Rick Perry, the longest-serving governor in Texas history loses his first campaign ever, what happens to him? More importantly, what happens to us?
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Decision 2012
No one wants to give the governor a Bum Steer. No one wants to poke fun at the elected representative of 25 million Texans. In fact, when Rick Perry launched his presidential campaign four and a half months ago, we …
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A Q&A With Nate Blakeslee
The senior editor on why Texas has taken the lead in fighting new EPA air pollution regulations and what will become the fuel of choice for the next generation of power plants in Texas and around the country.
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Split Deception
Democrats refuse to acknowledge how wildly successful we are at creating jobs. Republicans misunderstand how we’ve done it. Here’s what everyone should know about the Texas Miracle—before it’s too late.
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Up in the Air
No state has defied the federal government’s environmental regulations more fiercely than Texas, and no governor has been more outspoken about the “job-killing” policies of the EPA than Rick Perry. But does that mean we can all breathe easy?
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Left Behind
Rick Perry’s stumbles on the national stage have inadvertently highlighted the weakness of his opposition back home—Texas Democrats.
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Kinky ♥ Rick
In 2006, Kinky Friedman thought he’d be the better governor. In 2011, he is ready for a Perry presidency.
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Dear Yankee
You didn’t ask, but here’s some free advice for you and the rest of the national press corps as you prepare to write about Rick Perry.
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Rick Perry v. Forensic Science
Larry Swearingen has ten scientists and doctors who say he isn’t a killer. He also has a new execution date.
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Less Than Hero
The worst deficit facing Texas right now is not the one in our budget: it’s the leadership deficit.
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Dem Bums
Bill White’s toughest foe this fall isn’t Rick Perry. It’s the national Democrats. But he could still win. Maybe.
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Boy’s Life—Rick Perry
Before Rick Perry was fighting for the governorship of the second-largest state in the country, he was just a kid from Paint Creek.
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The Terminator
Rick Perry’s record nine years in the Governor’s Mansion have made the office more powerful than ever before. That’s why we need term limits.
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Memo to Kay
Even someone who supports the death penalty, as you do, can and should be up in arms over the Cameron Willingham case.
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Hullabaloo
Rick Perry is the first Aggie governor in history. But as the current crisis shows, he’s been nothing but trouble for Texas A&M.
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Governor Perry Chooses License Plates
Proving his conservative credentials, Gov. Perry held a press conference with the Texas Alliance for Life to express his support for specialized “Choose Life” license plates.
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Anita Perry
“He’s probably stronger now than when we were younger, but I’ve changed that same way. And we’ve probably gotten more conservative as we’ve gotten older.”
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Y2Kay
Is Kay Bailey Hutchison plotting a run for Governor? And other questions about Texas politics in the new millennium.
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The Capitol Gang
The power brokers at this year’s legislative session aren’t elected officials. They’re lobbyists—and we know which ones have the most clout.
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Two for Texas
Candidates Rick Perry and John Sharp donÕt agree on much, but they both say the race for lieutenant governor is the most important one on the ballot this fall. They’re right.