Rick Perry

Can a high-profile former governor and presidential hopeful find happiness as a hardworking energy secretary?

A New York Times report on the eve of Rick Perry's confirmation hearing for Secretary of Energy Wednesday alleged that the former Texas governor had only recently discovered that the job largely involves nuclear issues. But Perry acknowledged in 2014 that the Department of Energy is responsible for…

Former Texas governor Rick Perry is Trump's pick for Energy Secretary, the AP reported Tuesday morning. Perry has been a clear favorite for the post among conservatives who value his anti-regulatory stance.

Rick Perry was vindicated today, when the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals tossed the last of the criminal case that derailed Perry's presidential bid last year. As governor of Texas, Perry had threatened to veto funding to the Texas "Public Integrity Unit," a creature of the liberal Travis County…

A Texas appeals court has dismissed the remaining criminal charge that a grand jury brought against former Texas governor Rick Perry in 2014.

The process of winnowing the Republican presidential field to a few candidates is beginning to take its toll, though the first actual voting won’t occur until February.

Carly Fiorina was the clear winner in a dull and relatively uneventful undercard debate Thursday evening. The former Hewlett Packard CEO was the most composed and effective of the seven candidates taking the stage in Cleveland, getting off a few memorable lines and detailed policy proposals.

Goffstown, N.H.

At an event in Washington, D.C., Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry is attacking one of his opponents, Donald Trump.

The first Republican presidential debate isn't until next month, but former Texas governor Rick Perry is already hitting back at fellow GOP contender Donald Trump. In a statement, Perry knocked Trump's criticism of the governor's 14-year tenure in Austin, saying the New York businessman has a…

As the news of the nuclear deal reached between the United States, its Western allies, and the Islamic Republican of Iran broke Tuesday morning, Republican presidential candidates were nearly unanimous in condemning the agreement.

Some Republican leaders are sharply criticizing the Obama administration for establishing official diplomatic ties with Cuba, the Caribbean island nation that has been under the control of Communist dictator Fidel Castro and his brother Raul since 1959. A number of GOP presidential candidates and…

Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry, the former governor of Texas, promises that "the American people are going to see a very different candidate" this time around. He made the promise this morning on Fox News Sunday: 

Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry is making the case against Hillary Clinton.

Rick Perry, the former Texas governor, announced Thursday afternoon he is running for president in 2016. Introduced by his wife Anita and flanked by retired U.S. Navy SEALs Marcus and Morgan Luttrell, Perry spoke about his upbringing in West Texas, touted his job-creation record during his 14 years…

Former Texas governor Rick Perry is running for president, releasing a video focusing on his record and background. The Republican will formally announce the campaign Thursday during an event outside of Dallas.

Former Texas governor Rick Perry has a message for three of the current Republican White House hopefuls: Run for governor before you run for president. Speaking about Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and Rand Paul, all three U.S. senators, Perry said in an interview last week with THE WEEKLY STANDARD that…

The RickPAC has released video telling the story of Rick Perry and his relationship with Marcus Luttrell:

A new poll of likely Iowa Republican presidential caucus goers finds a wide-open field with three candidates vying for the top spot and a plurality undecided. Scott Walker, the governor of neighboring Wisconsin, leads the latest poll from Loras College, earning 12.6 percent support. Florida senator…

Nashua, N.H.

Windham, N.H.

Several of the likely Republican candidates for president have spoken out in defense of Indiana governor Mike Pence and his decision to sign the state's Religious Freedom Restoration Act. CNN reports that several White House hopefuls, including Jeb Bush, Ben Carson, Marco Rubio, Bobby Jindal, and…

The super PAC supporting former Texas governor Rick Perry has a new web ad focusing on the Republican's farming roots and showcasing his recent trips to Iowa. "My background is off of a dry-land cotton farm 200 miles west of Fort Worth, Texas," says Perry in the video. "I understand blue-collar,…

Former Texas governor Rick Perry responded to news that the Obama administration is instituting new regulations on hydraulic fracturing.

Former Texas governor Rick Perry said he was "alarmed" by reports the Obama administration is considering not supporting the state of Israel at the United Nations. Perry, who may run for president in 2016, said he urged Obama to "turn away from such a path."

Former Texas governor Rick Perry released a statement Thursday citing his "concern" that President Barack Obama may not seek congressional approval for the ongoing nuclear weapons negotiations with Iran.

In his latest fireside-chat style video, former Texas governor Rick Perry weighs in on foreign policy issues and calls for stronger American leadership in the world:

A new poll from the Wall Street Journal and NBC News shows Florida senator Marco Rubio and Wisconsin governor Scott Walker have the most goodwill among Republican primary voters ahead of both men's possible bids for the presidency.

It’s still two years before the next president takes the oath of office, but the contest that will determine who raises his right hand that day started in earnest last month for Republicans, with a grassroots gathering in Iowa and a meeting of high-dollar donors in California.

Former Texas governor Rick Perry is taking on Russian president Vladimir Putin. The possible presidential candidate says that the "peace and security of the world" depends on how America deals with Russia.

The Rick Perry reboot is well underway. There are the glasses of course. And, according to Politico, the longest-serving governor in Texas history is now casting himself as a more “moderate” politician.  He’s now more pragmatic and pro-compromise, Politico reports. 

An MSNBC reporter asked Rick Perry in an interview that aired this morning whether the Texas governor is "smart enough to be president of the United States." Perry responded that "running for the presidency is not an IQ test."

Rick Perry met with Henry Kissinger to talk foreign policy, the Texas governor announced on Twitter. 

On August 15, a grand jury in Travis County, Texas, shocked the Lone Star State when it handed up an indictment of Governor Rick Perry, a likely candidate for the GOP presidential nomination in 2016. According to the grand jury, Perry abused his power in 2013 when he attempted to get the county’s…

On Sunday, the boss joined George Stephanopolous, David Plouffe, Peggy Noonan, and Donna Edwards on ABC's This Week to talk about Iraq, Ferguson, Rick Perry's indictment, and a potential 2016 run from former Democratic senator Jim Webb. Stephanopolous referred to a recent WEEKLY STANDARD blog post…

The editorial board of the New York Times has plenty of nasty things to say about Texas governor Rick Perry. But the editors still think the indictment of Perry "appears to be the product of an overzealous prosecution."

Following Texas governor Rick Perry's grand jury indictment yesterday, even David Axelrod cast significant doubts on the merits.

Google has not been kind to Rick Perry. Type in “Rick Perry gaffe” and you get 111,000 results. Google also offers “searches related to Rick Perry gaffe.” These include “Rick Perry drunk speech, Rick Perry oops, Rick Perry gaffe YouTube, Rick Perry gaffe debate .  .  . Rick Perry video, Rick Perry…

It's still a year and a half before the first presidential primaries of 2016, but Gallup has a new survey out asking Republicans and Democrats about the potential GOP candidates. Analyzing those candidates' familiarity and favorability among Republicans, Gallup has discovered the best known and…

The WEEKLY STANDARD podcast with executive editor Fred Barnes on Ukraine, the crash of MH17, and the rise of Texas Governor Rick Perry.

Governor Rick Perry of Texas criticized President Barack Obama's Washington-centric approach to solving problems in a Sunday appearance on NBC's Meet the Press. Perry was asked by host David Gregory about the recent botched execution of a convicted murderer in neighboring Oklahoma and the…

Texas governor Rick Perry told late-night host Jimmy Kimmel that "America is a great place for second chances" when asked about running for president in 2016. Perry, appearing on Kimmel's show Tuesday night while on location in Austin, teased the idea of running again after his failed 2012 bid.

Austin

If “stealing jobs” were as bad as – and essentially no different than – stealing cars or stealing horses, Texas Gov. Rick Perry might expect to wind up at the end of a rope – the traditional fate in cowboy movies for horse thieves and cattle rustlers in the Lone Star state.

How do you succeed in wooing Hispanics without really trying? Rick Perry may have the answer. In 2010, running for his third full term, the Republican governor won the support of more than 400,000 Hispanic voters in Texas, his best performance to date. Perry didn’t need to win that many—Texas is…

Now that he’s not seeking another term as Texas governor, Rick Perry says he has a year to decide whether to run for president in 2016.  And he’ll be highly visible across the country while he’s making up his mind.

Texas governor Rick Perry announced today that he will not seek reelection:

Rick Perry will make an "important announcement" Monday, a spokesman for the Texas governor said in an email Friday afternoon to the press.

Austin, Texas 

The Republican primary for U.S. Senate in Texas is now within nine points, according to a new poll. A University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll shows Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst with 40 percent, while his challenger, former state solicitor general Ted Cruz, is at 31 percent. Former Dallas mayor…

Texas governor Rick Perry, a former Republican presidential candidate, has endorsed former Vets for Freedom director Pete Hegseth for Senate in Minnesota.

Texas governor Rick Perry has endorsed his lieutenant governor, David Dewhurst, in the latter's Republican primary for U.S. Senate. "David's been a loyal supporter of mine, and I, in turn, am a loyal supporter of him and his task to become the next United States senator," Perry said in an interview…

Beaufort, S.C.

CNN reports that "Rick Perry is telling supporters that he will drop his bid for the Republican presidential nomination on Thursday."

Rick Perry ain't backin' down on his tough Turkey talk.

Felicia Sonmez of the Washington Post reports that Rick Perry on Sunday channeled the boss and defended the four Marines:

The New York Times reports that national conservative Christian leaders are waiting until after the South Carolina primary on January 21 to coalesce around a "not-Romney" Republican candidate. Those leaders are meeting in Texas this weekend to discuss the race. Here's more from the Times:

Just how fluid and crazy has this GOP primary been? Well, the latest poll from Public Policy Polling contains a startling development:

Manchester, N.H.

Nate Silver: "Perry, Perry, Quite Contrary"

Northfield, N.H.

Austin Ameican Statesman: "Perry stays in presidential race, says it 'wasn't a hard decision'"

Last night, after finishing 5th in the Iowa caucus with ten percent of the vote, Texas governor Rick Perry said he was going back home to reassess whether he would stay in the presidential race. "I've decided to return to Texas, assess the results of tonight's caucus, determine whether there is a…

Rick Perry just announced that he's returning to Texas to reassess his place in the presidential race. "I've decided to return to Texas, assess the results of tonight's caucus, determine whether there is a path forward for myself," the Texas governor said. Perry spent the most money in the Iowa…

ABC News: "Romney in Iowa: ‘We’re Gonna Win This Thing’"

Marshalltown, Iowa

Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry seems to be offering his closing argument for caucusgoers in Iowa in this 30-second television spot:

1. I thought Newt Gingrich did not do well. Not just when he defended his (essentially indefensible) work at Freddie Mac, but also when he cited FDR as a model for how he would handle the court. Terrible argument, one that any self-proclaimed constitutional conservative should be concerned about.

Newt Gingrich recently attacked Mitt Romney for "bankrupting companies and laying off employees over his years at Bain Capital"—a charge the former Speaker walked back earlier today. Nonetheless, Romney was asked about it at the debates. Romney defended his business experience, noting that Obama…

Dueling Republican front-runners Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney have been trading barbs on money and wealth the last few days. After Romney said Gingrich should return the $1.6 million he received from Freddie Mac, Gingrich shot back by saying Romney should return the money he made at Bain Capital…

A new survey from Evolving Strategies, a Republican polling firm, has determined primary preferences among GOP voters are “unstable” and “susceptible to small changes in information.” Conducted between December 6 and 8, the survey found that Newt Gingrich is “highly vulnerable to attack” from…

First Read: "Gingrich opens up big leads in South Carolina and Florida"

Rick Perry is the latest Republican presidential candidate to call for the firing of Ambassador Howard Gutman. The Texas governor announced his decision in a statement released this evening:

Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry sat down last night with Bill Kristol, Juan Williams, Charles Krauthammer, and Bret Baier for a roundtable interview:

One federal department Rick Perry can remember he wants to eliminate is Education. The presidential candidate has just revealed an overview of his approach to “wasteful, overbearing, and redundant” agencies, going into greater detail yesterday with a new policy document.

Alan I. Abramowitz: "Why Barack Obama Has a Good Chance of Winning a Second Term"

Associated Press: "Obama donor discussed solar loan with White House"

Aaron Blake, a reporter who blogs at the Washington Post's political blog, tweets:

In Wednesday night's debate, Rick Perry said he would get rid of three federal departments when he is president. But in a cringe-inducing moment, he couldn't remember which three:

Chris Wilson, a former pollster for the National Restaurant Association, told an Oklahoma radio station today that he witnessed incidents in which Herman Cain sexually harassed an employee at a restaurant.

Rick Perry has a new ad out in Iowa today, reminding voters of his strengths:

Rick Perry has a new ad showcasing the support of prominent conservatives like Steve Forbes and Rush Limbaugh for his economic plan. WEEKLY STANDARD senior writer Steve Hayes makes a (vocal) appearance:

The Hill: "Romney rushes to clarify his comments on union bargaining legislation"

The latest polls from CNN/Time show that Mitt Romney is leading or tied for the lead in all four of the first states to vote in the Republican primary next year.

Speaking in Virginia this morning, Mitt Romney tried to clarify what he called “confusion” over his comments yesterday in Ohio.

St. Petersburg Times:

Rick Perry responds to news that Mitt Romney declined to take a position on the upcoming referenda on unions in Ohio:

Rick Perry is proposing an optional 20% flat income tax this week, but the Texas governor seems to be scuttling whatever opportunity he may have had to re-establish himself as a credible conservative challenger to Mitt Romney by toying with conspiracy theories about the president that were long ago…

The latest CBS/New York Times GOP presidential preference poll has Herman Cain at 25 percent, Mitt Romney 21, Newt Gingrich 10, Ron Paul 8, Rick Perry 6, Michele Bachmann 2, Jon Huntsman 1, and Rick Santorum 1. A quarter of respondents failed to choose any of the announced candidates. And most of…

ABC News reports:

A new poll from Magellan Strategies, a Republican-affiliated firm, shows Mitt Romney with a large lead in Nevada. According to the survey of 673 likely Republican caucus goers in Nevada, Romney leads with 38 percent, Herman Cain comes in second with 26 percent, and Newt Gingrich is in third with 16…

Rick Perry's campaign has announced that it has secured the endorsement of Steve Forbes, the former Republican presidential candidate, economist, editor, and publisher:

Max Boot writes: 

 UK prime minister David Cameron:

Public Policy Polling (PPP) has a new survey showing Barack Obama may be in real trouble in Ohio, the perennial swing state that he won by just over 260,000 votes in 2008. According to PPP, Obama's approval rating in Ohio is at 43 percent, with only 39 percent of independents approving of his job.

Fresh off of last night's debate on CNN, the Romney campaign has a new video with a mash-up of GOP rival Rick Perry's worst performances at all of the recent debates. The question the video asks is if Perry is "ready to lead." Watch below:

Las Vegas

A new pair of polls from NBC News and Marist College shows Herman Cain with a slight lead over Mitt Romney in South Carolina and Florida, two key early primary states. MSNBC reports:

At Tuesday night’s debate in Las Vegas, Mitt Romney faced attacks on his record on health care, particularly the close relationship between his health care reform in Massachusetts and Obamacare. But Texas governor Rick Perry was particularly forceful when criticizing Romney, primarily for his…

Mitt Romney's campaign announced this morning that it raised "more than $14 million for the third quarter."

New York Times: "U.S. Challenged to Explain Accusations of Iran Plot in the Face of Skepticism"

The New Republic: "Protests and Power: Should liberals support Occupy Wall Street?"

Hanover, N.H.

At the beginning of the second hour of Tuesday night's debate in Hanover, New Hampshire, moderator Charlie Rose prompted each candidate to ask another candidate a question. More than half the candidates used the opportunity to take on Romney.

Another Republican presidential debate, another forceful performance by Mitt Romney. The subject was the economy, jobs, and finance—Romney’s strong suits—and he made the most of it, having more to say on those subjects and saying it more cogently than the other seven candidates.

Yesterday’s New York Times published an A-section article actually highlighting that, about 50 years before Rick Perry’s birth, his alma mater, Texas A&M, had Klansmen on campus: “In 1968, Mr. Perry left home for Texas A&M, a deeply conservative university whose yearbooks early in the century…

Two new polls of Republicans and those who lean Republican show a sizable number of likely voters remain undecided on the 2012 presidential race.

Rick Perry has a new, high-quality web ad that renews the charge that Mitt Romney has flip-flopped on health care reform. Watch below:

Rick Perry is not always his best defender. For the last two weeks, Mitt Romney has hammered Perry over a Texas law the governor signed which allows children of illegal immigrants to pay in-state college tuition. At the Orlando debate, for instance, Romney said sardonically, “To go to the…

Department of Energy loan program director resigns.

Rick Perry's campaign reports that "it raised more than $17 million for the GOP primary race between Aug. 13 and Sept. 30 from more than 22,000 unique contributors. Because of his August 13th entry into the race, Gov. Perry raised funds for just 49 of the 92 days in the quarter."

David Brooks: "In Defense of Romney"

A recent Rasmussen poll of likely voters shows Mitt Romney is currently much stronger than Rick Perry in Virginia, a nearly must-win state for the GOP. The poll shows Romney with a 1-point lead (46 to 45 percent) over President Obama in the Old Dominion, while Perry trails Obama by double-digits…

Over the weekend, the Washington Post reported that a Texas hunting camp with a racially-charged name, which was painted on a rock on the property, had been leased by Rick Perry and his family. The property had long been known by that name, even before the Perry family had anything to do with it.

Orlando, Florida

Mitt Romney and Ron Paul both trail President Barack Obama by one percentage point in Florida, according to Public Policy Polling. In a survey released today, PPP found that in hypothetical general election matchups, Obama edges out Romney 46-45 and Paul 45-44. Rick Perry, meanwhile, would be 7…

ABC News points to a new Mitt Romney ad that focuses on former Mexican president Vicente Fox's praise for Texas's policy of providing in-state tuition to the children of illegal immigrants who attend state universities and colleges.

Rick Perry has been catching some flak for calling Social Security a Ponzi scheme. Some conservative purists defended the former frontrunner for “telling it like it is.” Maybe. But Perry’s 10th Amendment solution — which he slightly backed away from at the Fox/Google debate — could be even more…

A new Public Policy Polling survey shows Mitt Romney with a six-point lead, at 30 percent, among Florida primary voters. Rick Perry is in second with 24 percent--the first time the Texas governor has not lead in a PPP poll in a Southern state since he entered the race.

"Well, I don't play golf," says Rick Perry. "So, this is my golf."

The polling firm American Research Group has a new survey of Iowa Republican voters, showing Mitt Romney leading with 21 percent, Michele Bachmann receiving 15 percent of support, and Rick Perry with 14 percent. A full 15 percent of those polled are undecided. ARG polled 600 likely Republican…

Although Indiana governor Mitch Daniels would like to see his New Jersey counterpart run for president, Daniels said today that he doesn't see any signs Chris Christie will change his mind. “I personally didn’t press him, so I have nothing to report,” Daniels said of his meeting last Thursday with…

Via Jeffrey Goldberg: "This is the greatest video ever made. I'm completely serious. The greatest. The action sequence begins at about 4:45:"

Rick Perry has a new ad out today, following up on last Thursday's debate, and hitting Mitt Romney for changing a line in his book about the Massachusetts health care law:

Richmond, Virginia

Herman Cain won today's Florida Republican party straw poll with 37.1 percent of the vote. Rick Perry came in second at 15.4 percent, with Mitt Romney not far behind in third at 14 percent. Michele Bachmann, who won last month's straw poll in Ames, Iowa, came in last today with only 1.5 percent.…

ABC News reports that Rick Perry is emphasizing the importance of today's Florida GOP P5 straw poll in Orlando, Florida, where he made his case in person this morning:

Politico: "Texas toast? Rick Perry worries GOP"

Rasmussen's latest survey of likely voters in New Hampshire shows Mitt Romney with a 21-point lead over Rick Perry. The poll, which was taken before last night's debate in Orlando, showed Romney with 39 percent of the vote among Republican primary voters in the Granite State, with Perry having 18…

Lots of interesting e-mails on the boss’s “Yikes.” This one, from a Republican who has held high elective office, is worth noting:

Mitt Romney often assails “career politicians,” contrasting his career in private business with the political career of his chief rival Rick Perry.

Orlando, Florida “Howdy,” Rick Perry says, welcoming the crowd at the Rosen Center Hotel. It's hours before Thursday's debate, and the Texas governor is speaking to activists participating in a “Meet and Greet” pre-debate party organized by the Faith and Freedom Coalition. Perry's the last…

THE WEEKLY STANDARD’s official reaction to last night’s Republican presidential debate: Yikes.

We’re just a few months away from the start of primary elections, and the Republican race is clearly shaping up as a two-man contest between Mitt Romney and Rick Perry. And, so far, all signs point to Florida being a big deal this cycle, perhaps the decisive battle.

Rick Perry hasn't gotten better.

Orlando, Florida During Thursday night’s debate, Rick Perry was asked the toughest and most substantive foreign policy question of the evening. Moderator Bret Baier wanted to know what Perry would do first, as president, if he received a 3 a.m. phone call “telling [him] that Pakistan had lost…

Rick Perry picks up the endorsement of Kansas governor Sam Brownback, the Daily Caller reports: 

A new Suffolk University poll of 400 likely voters shows former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney with a commanding lead in New Hampshire's GOP presidential primary, traditionally the first primary of the campaign season. At 41 percent, Romney is 27 points ahead of his closest rival in the state,…

Phil Klein: "House investigators rip Solyndra execs"

The latest Rasmussen poll of likely voters, conducted one week after the most recent Republican presidential debate, shows Rick Perry with a 4-point lead (28 to 24 percent) over Mitt Romney. Perry’s lead has dropped by 7 points in the poll (from 11 to 4 points) since his first debate appearance. No…

Rick Perry has a new ad out today contrasting President Obama's record on jobs and the economy with Perry's own vision for America and its future. It plays like a general election ad. Watch below:

Hot Air: "Report: At least 200 murders in Mexico now linked to Fast & Furious weapons"

Talk radio host Laura Ingraham pressed Congressman Paul Ryan in an interview Tuesday on whether he agreed with Texas governor Rick Perry's claim that Social Security is a "Ponzi scheme." Contrary to some reports, Ryan didn't directly say that Social Security is a Ponzi scheme, but he noted that…

The Atlantic: "Chart of the Day: 'Buffett Rule' Wouldn't Bring In Much Revenue"

Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry delivered the following remarks on the U.S., Israel, and Palestinian statehood in New York City earlier today:

At last week’s Republican debate at the Reagan Library, a long-simmering Texas political feud made its grand entrance onto the national stage. Politico’s John Harris asked GOP presidential frontrunner and Texas governor Rick Perry about his former political adviser Karl Rove’s recent statement that…

If you want a glimpse of the way Rick Perry operates as an executive and a politician, consider the issue of higher education reform in Texas, which no one in Texas knew was an issue until Perry decided to make it one.

A CBS News/New York Times poll taken from September 10th-15th (both before and after the most recent debate) shows Rick Perry with a 7-point edge (23 to 16 percent) over Mitt Romney among registered voters who intend to vote in a Republican primary or caucus. Newt Gingrich has moved into a tie with…

A couple of weeks ago, a Rasmussen poll showed Rick Perry leading President Obama 44% to 41%. But Rasmussen's latest polling shows a change of fortunes, with Perry trailing Obama 39% to 46%.

Charles Krauthammer writes that Social Security is, indeed, a Ponzi scheme.  It’s also “the most vital…of all social programs,” and it can easily be saved from collapse — mostly by (gradually) raising the age of eligibility:  “When Franklin Roosevelt created Social Security, choosing 65 as the…

Rick Perry, writing in the Jerusalem Post: 

Washington Post: "Marine Sgt. Dakota Meyer receives Medal of Honor"

According to a new InsiderAdvantage poll, Texas governor Rick Perry has a nine-point lead over his closest rival, Mitt Romney, in Florida. The poll finds that 29 percent of respondents would vote for Perry in a primary election, while 20 percent would vote for Romney. None of the other candidates…

On Monday night, Republican presidential hopefuls met for a debate in Tampa, Florida. Perhaps one of the more incoherent exchanges that evening was when Texas governor Rick Perry attempted to explain his position on the war in Afghanistan.

Speaking in Virginia yesterday afternoon, Rick Perry admitted that his effort to require young schoolgirls to get vaccinated for HPV was a mistake, saying, “We should have had an opt-in instead of an opt-out.” Perry, who previously had said only that it was a mistake to have issued an executive…

Maryland governor Martin O’Malley said Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry “seceded” from the National Governors Association (NGA), of which O'Malley is a member. The Democratic governor made the tongue-in-cheek remark to reporters in Washington this morning at a breakfast sponsored by the…

A new Bloomberg poll shows Rick Perry with a four-point lead over Mitt Romney for the Republican nomination for president.

Rick Perry's presidential campaign has just announced the support of Nevada governor Brian Sandoval. “Our nation needs a leader in the White House who understands the role of government and our economy,” Sandoval said in a statement released by Perry's campaign. “Gov. Rick Perry has the strongest…

Josh Rogin reports that South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham is "disappointed" with Texas governor Rick Perry's position on the war in Afghanistan.

Phil Klein: "GOP debate winner: 'None of the above'"

If a debate more than four months before the first vote is cast can influence the outcome of a presidential nomination race, the debate last night among eight Republicans should aid Mitt Romney’s candidacy. Seldom has there been as clear a winner.

At Monday night’s GOP debate in Tampa, Mitt Romney continued to defend the health care law he signed as governor of Massachusetts while insisting that Barack Obama’s signature Obamacare law ought to be repealed. Romney contrasted his “Romneycare” plan with the president’s law as best as he could.

Tonight's CNN/Tea Party Express Republican presidential debate focused primarily on the economy. Only two GOP presidential candidates were given the opportunity to weigh in on Afghanistan (there were no questions on Iraq, Libya, etc.)—former Utah governor and Obama administration diplomat Jon…

Jon Huntsman, Herman Cain, Michele Bachmann, Mitt Romney, Rick Perry, Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich, and Rick Santorum have taken the stage in Tampa, Florida for the Tea Party Express/CNN debate. Moderator Wolf Blitzer announced that all 8 GOP presidential candidates were on stage. But they aren't . . .…

Hot on the heels of this morning's announcement of former Minnesota governor and former presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty's endorsement of Mitt Romney, the Perry campaign pulls out the stops to make sure they don't get one-upped ahead of tonight's debate:

Maggie Haberman reports: "Mike Huckabee rapped Rick Perry for his Social Security comments on Laura Ingraham's radio show, and suggested that Tim Pawlenty lined up behind Mitt Romney because he may be the more 'electable' choice."

During last week's GOP presidential debate, Rick Perry spent more time defending his "provocative" rhetoric than emphasizing that he wants to save Social Security. But in a USA Today op-ed, Perry changes his tone. He writes that we need a "frank and honest discussion" about the program, but makes…

CNN reports the findings of its latest poll: 

Since Rick Perry has surged to the front of the GOP pack, questions have been raised about his past membership in the Democratic party, which ended in 1989. Ron Paul recently posted a pretty hard-hitting web video blasting Perry for having backed Al Gore in 1988, and Joe Scarborough – MSNBC’s token…

Rick Perry's doubling down on his "Social Security is a Ponzi scheme" rhetoric during last night's debate could be beneficial for him in a Republican primary but hurtful in a general election. And while the Mitt Romney campaign was quick to pounce on the statement with its not-so-subtle "PERRY DOES…

Fifteen minutes into last night’s Republican presidential debate, Michele Bachmann became the first candidate to mention and attack Obamacare. She did so after five other debaters had already spoken, and in response to a question that didn’t explicitly reference the overhaul — thereby immediately…

Hot Air: "It begins: Romney, Perry clash over jobs"

Rick Perry came into his first GOP presidential debate and did what any frontrunner needs to do: avoid any serious gaffes. He may not have had the strongest answer to every question he was asked, but Perry seemed to fight Romney, at the very least, to a draw when the two went toe-to-toe. But, as…

This afternoon, Mitt Romney introduced a “business plan for the American economy” to an audience at McCandless International Trucks in North Las Vegas, Nevada. Speaking to the friendly crowd in a blue blazer and khaki pants, Romney outlined his 59-point jobs and economic plan, including 10…

Texas congressman Ron Paul is out with a new ad attacking Texas governor Rick Perry for his support of Al Gore in the 1988 presidential election, when Perry was still a registered Democrat. Watch the ad below:

Rasmussen's latest poll of likely caucus participants: 

Texas governor Rick Perry won't participate in the presidential forum today in South Carolina, where Senator Jim DeMint, Congressman Steve King, and Princeton professor Robert George are questioning GOP presidential candidates. A Perry spokesman says the governor had to return to Texas because of…

Rick Perry has faced criticism from some conservatives opposed to illegal immigration for some of his positions on the issue, but the Texas governor is showing no signs of backing down. In an interview Thursday with conservative talk radio host Mark Levin, Perry defended Texas's law that allows…

Rick Perry's constitutional views are again sparking controversy. As Ruth Marcus notes, Perry previously called for a constitutional amendment to empower Congress to overturn Supreme Court decisions by two-thirds votes.

Rasmussen’s poll of likely voters now shows Rick Perry leading Barack Obama by 3 percentage points (44 to 41 percent). Mitt Romney is within 4 points of Obama (43 to 39 percent), Herman Cain is within 7 (42 to 35 percent), and Michele Bachmann is within 8 (46 to 38 percent). (No other Republican…

A new Rasmussen survey shows President Barack Obama is statistically tied with Rick Perry in a hypothetical 2012 matchup. Perry leads Obama in the survey of 1000 likely voters 44 percent to 41 percent, a first for Perry in the Rasmussen polls, but the 3-point margin of error means the president and…

Preparing to face off more directly against Rick Perry, Mitt Romney's campaign seems to be trying to determine its best strategy. At the New Republic, William Galston offers Romney some unsolicited advice about how to fight back against the apparent Perry juggernaut: 

Republican presidential candidate Buddy Roemer believes he's gaining momentum. "My best fundraising week was last week," the former governor and congressman from Louisiana tells Slate's Dave Weigel. "I raised enough money to buy a ticket to one of Obama's fundraisers."

Politico: "Rick Perry panic fires up the left"

Navy Times: "Petraeus shedding military uniform to head CIA"

Jon Ward at the Huffington Post talks to advisers close to Mitt Romney about the campaign's thinking of its chief rival, Rick Perry. Beyond subtle criticisms, like referring to Perry as a "career politician," the Romney campaign apparently thinks the Texas governor's worst enemy could be himself:

The Daily Caller reports that Rick Perry's opposition to liberal health care reform wasn't always so pronounced. In 1993, he wrote a letter commending her health care reform efforts:

MItt Romney took a thinly veiled jab at his opponent Rick Perry at a speech at the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) annual national convention in San Antonio today. "I am a conservative businessman," Romney said. "I have spent most of my life outside of politics, dealing with real problems in the…

The other day, the boss wondered whether Rick Perry is good for the Jews. Last night on Fox News, Perry's former political opponent Kinky Friedman had this to say:

Jonathan Last: "Romney’s 'Core Constituency'”

Last week, the Almighty expressed His displeasure over Paul Ryan's decision not to run for president by sending us an earthquake and a storm. But Ryan still refuses to reconsider. So we at THE WEEKLY STANDARD have put dreams of Ryan-Rubio 2012 on hold, and have turned our attention to other…

A new national poll from CNN/ORC International shows Rick Perry with a 13-point lead over Mitt Romney in the race for the Republican presidential nomination. Twenty-seven percent of the Republicans and independents polled chose Perry as the candidate they would most likely support. Romney received…

Jonah Goldberg wrote a column about the recent attacks on Rick Perry, arguing that identity politics on the right are "intensely wearying" and "conservatism needs to spend less time defending candidates for who they are, and more time supporting candidates for what they intend to do." Of course,…

The Wall Street Journal reports that Rick Perry, while campaigning in Iowa over the weekend, called Social Security a "Ponzi Scheme":

Toby Harnden: "Perfect Storm of Hype: Politicians, the media and the Hurricane Irene apocalypse that never was"

Charleston, S.C.

Per a new Sachs/Mason-Dixon poll, Christian Heinze at the Hill points out that Mitt Romney is remaining strong in Florida:

In his first national radio interview since announcing his campaign for president, Rick Perry criticized Mitt Romney's health care plan in Massachusetts, The Hill's Michael reports: