2012 elections

Report: Rick Perry To Head Up Republican Governors Association

Eric Kleefeld | November 12, 2010, 3:56PM

Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX)

Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX), who just won re-election, is set to take the leadership of the Republican Governors Association, the campaign group tasked with helping to elect GOP governors across the country, Politico reports:

Perry recently released a book taking aim at the federal government and both the subject of the tome, "Fed Up!," and his promotion of it have increased speculation that he's eyeing a presidential bid.

But his appointment to helm the RGA heading into 2011 - when three states will hold governors' races - amounts to the first concrete evidence that the Texan is serious when he says he has no interest in pursuing the White House. It would be nearly impossible to raise money for the committee and help direct the gubernatorial contests in Louisiana, Mississippi and Kentucky while simultaneously running for president.

There is possibly an even more important question here. By taking part in a truly national organization to strengthen the Republican Party across the whole country, does this mean Perry has truly given up on secession?

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Jon Stewart

Rick Perry Denies Being A Secessionist On The Daily Show (VIDEO)

Jillian Rayfield | November 9, 2010, 10:41AM

Jon Stewart had Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) on his show last night. Perry has been known to contemplate Texas's secession from the union, as recently as last week advocating for Texas to be allowed to secede from Social Security. So Stewart asked him: "Would you like to see, at some level, Texas as its own country? A little bit? A little bit? United Republic of Texas?" Perry replied: "No."

The two also discussed the Supreme Court and "activist judges." Perry said: "We've got four Supreme Court Justices who are ---" Jon interrupted: "That you don't agree with." Perry replied: "That I don't agree with" -- then caught himself: "No!"

"We've got four that I think don't adhere to the Constitution," Perry said. Jon shot back: "So you believe the Constitution is that which the federal government can do that you agree with? In some respects? A little bit?"

"A little bit," Perry agreed.

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Social Security

Rick Perry: Let States Secede From Social Security (VIDEO)

Evan McMorris-Santoro | November 5, 2010, 12:59PM

Freshly reelected Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) just isn't ready to give up on the secession talk that made him a topic of conversation last year. Taking a national victory lap after his election to an unprecedented third term this week, Perry is out talking up his new plan to break up the union, kind of: It's time, he says, to let states opt out of Social Security.

Last April, Perry told some Austin tea partiers that though "there's absolutely no reason to dissolve" the union the state of Texas has been a part of for about 160 years, "if Washington continues to thumb their nose at the American people, you know, who knows what might come out of that." Texas, he suggested, could lead the charge.

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