Republican Perry chides Romney, defends Texas actions (Reuters)

CONCORD, New Hampshire (Reuters) – Texas Governor Rick Perry renewed his attack on Republican presidential rival Mitt Romney as untrustworthy, and defended Texas illegal immigration policy that has been criticized by conservative Republicans.

Campaigning in New Hampshire, Perry accused the former Massachusetts governor of changing positions on gun control, the causes of global warming and government health insurance mandates.

He is seeking to chip away at Romney's big lead in the polls in a key early primary state, and arrest his own slide in national surveys.

"Like it or not the governor has been on the opposite side of a lot of issues," Perry said during a live interview with conservative activist and New Hampshire Republican gubernatorial candidate Ovide Lamontagne. "The issue is who are you really going to trust to stand up and be consistent?"

The Romney and Perry camps have focused their criticism on each other on Friday rather than businessman Herman Cain who now leads in some national Republican polls, an indication that neither campaign views Cain as a serious threat.

Also piling on Romney on Friday was former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, who is preparing to make a four-day campaign swing through New Hampshire.

"Real leadership is taking a clear position on issues even if it comes at political risk. Backflipping is for toys and gymnasts, not presidents," the Huntsman campaign said in a new web video.

Perry, who briefly led in national polls after entering the Republican race in August, has faded after a string of shaky performances in candidate debates.

In Concord on Friday he sought deflect criticism from Romney and Tea Party conservative activists who accuse him of being soft on illegal immigration.

Perry signed a bill that allowed Texas residents without legal U.S. resident status to attend Texas colleges, while paying in-state tuition. The bill passed the Texas legislature with overwhelming bipartisan support.

"We could kick these people to the side of the road and then we'll have to pick up the costs of whatever those social programs they're going to be eligible for," he said. "We're going to either have tax wasters or tax payers."

Perry's campaign also chided Romney for allowing people without proof of citizenship to access health care programs for the poor while governor of Massachusetts, an indication of how strongly the illegal immigration issue is resonating with Republican primary voters.

Romney campaign spokesman Andrea Saul termed Perry "desperate" in an emailed response.

He "will try anything to deflect attention away from his liberal policy on in-state tuition for illegal immigrants and his advocacy for turning Social Security over to the states," Saul said.

At a town hall meeting in Manchester on Friday evening, Romney focused on President Barack Obama rather than Perry, saying Obama as trying to "divide America into haves and have nots" and invite a "very dangerous" brand of class divisions.

The Texas governor, who has indicated he may skip some of the remaining Republican debates, joked about his debating shortfalls and sought to minimize the importance of debate performances.

"Shoot, I may be a great debater before it's all over," he said. "We have a very very good debater and a slick politician in the White House right now, and it's not working."

(Reporting by Jason McLure; Editing by Ros Krasny and Greg McCune)

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Perry to GOP: I could handle Obama in debate (AP)

WASHINGTON – Republican presidential hopeful Rick Perry says he may not be the best debater, but he's confident he can draw clear distinctions with President Barack Obama onstage next year.

The Texas governor is trying to reassure Republican primary voters in the wide-open nominating contest.

He says he may skip some debates with the other GOP hopefuls between now and the end of January. But he says he's "not worried a bit" about his ability to contrast his plans on the economy and foreign policy with the president's during scheduled debates in the 2012 elections.

Perry's campaign has said he'll participate in at least five more debates against his GOP rivals, including former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

Perry tells "Fox News Sunday" that he prefers other types of campaigning.

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Perry, Romney contrast in style, substance (AP)

MANCHESTER, N.H. – Campaigning just five miles and a few minutes apart, Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Rick Perry showed first-in-the-nation primary state voters just how starkly different they are.

Romney, who leads the state's polls, has spent years campaigning in New Hampshire and has a home on a nearby lake, held an hour-long town hall meeting Friday outside Manchester. Perry, a much newer presidential candidate on his sixth visit to the state, filed his official paperwork to appear on the state's presidential primary ballot, met briefly with voters at a restaurant and gave a boisterous speech to social conservatives.

Romney held private meetings in Manchester and spent the evening taking questions from voters, covering fiscal policy, the environment, defense, even NASA funding. He largely ignored his Republican rivals and went after President Barack Obama.

"The president's philosophy," Romney said, "is extraordinarily misguided. What they have done over the last three years is every time they've seen an area they thought needed addressing, they put more government in, and what it did was it caused the private sector to retreat."

Romney is far ahead in the polls in the state. His organization is long-running and stable, and he faces challenges for the support of conservative voters.

Perry, his chief rival in money, staff and organization elsewhere in the country, spent his time defending his debate performances and campaign trail mistakes, and attacking Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, and businessman Herman Cain.

Romney "has been on opposite sides of a lot of issues. He was for banning handguns. Now he's Mr. Second Amendment," Perry said during a radio interview at the Barley House restaurant across from the New Hampshire Statehouse. "Governor Romney in his book initially said his health care plan would be good for America. And then he took that sentence out when the book came out in paperback. So the issue is, Who are we really going to trust to stand up every day and be consistent? I have been consistent."

In a spirited speech at the socially conservative Cornerstone Action's banquet, Perry cracked jokes, talked baseball, quoted from Proverbs and waved his one-page flat tax filing form in the air.

Romney is businesslike, calm, usually careful. Perry is aggressive, spirited and pointed in conviction. They could hardly provide New Hampshire voters with two more different candidates to choose from, in style, focus or substance.

Romney came to his town hall surrounded by a few of his longest-serving and most influential advisers, business leaders and political operatives. He opened his remarks with an anecdote about his father, former Michigan Gov. George Romney, to describe why the economy is in trouble.

"He said there's nothing as vulnerable as entrenched success," Romney told the crowd of about 100. "His idea was that some groups of people or companies or nations become so used to their success that they become complacent, they become fat, lazy, and other upstarts are able to rush past them."

Romney has worked hard in New Hampshire for months, almost since he lost his bid for the 2008 nomination. He's focused relentlessly on his economic message, a pitch that plays well with independent-minded voters in the state. He avoids the social issues that tripped him up last time, including abortion and gay marriage.

While he was on message during his appearance on the trail, his campaign was left to deal with yet more accusations that he had flip-flopped on a major issue important to conservatives. It's a charge left over from the last campaign, and one he's been unable to shake.

On Friday, Democrats seized on comments he made in Pittsburgh, where he said he wasn't sure what was causing global warming — remarks they portrayed as a shift from a previous position, though Romney had said as much before.

Perry, by contrast, is on his sixth visit to the state since he announced his presidential run in mid-August. He's far behind in the polls in New Hampshire and probably will focus on the caucuses in Iowa and the primaries in South Carolina and Florida. He arrived, as always, accompanied by a few of personal aides and a sizable security contingent.

His central message is his job creation record in Texas.

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Perry: Obama's lost standing on foreign policy (AP)

WASHINGTON – GOP presidential candidate Rick Perry says President Barack Obama hasn't listened to his commanders in Iraq and Afghanistan, and that's cost him credibility as commander in chief.

Obama has announced that U.S troops would leave Iraq by the end of the year, effectively ending the war that began under the administration of President George W. Bush.

Perry tells "Fox News Sunday" that making those plans public endangers troops still in Iraq. The Texas governor says Obama has "lost his standing" as a commander in chief.

The president has said the death of Libya's Moammar Gadhafi and the end of the Iraq war are reminders of America's renewed leadership in the world.

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Perry Wouldn’t Stand a Chance Against Obama (ContributorNetwork)

COMMENTARY | CBS News reports Gov. Rick Perry of Texas told Republican leaders at a conference in Michigan that he's "authentic." He claims it's a stark contrast to his opponents such as Mitt Romney who seem polished but flip-flop on issues.

Even though Perry is authentic and tells it like it is, he won't stand a chance against President Barack Obama as he seeks re-election. The reason is simple. Republicans and independents don't want another governor of Texas in the White House after the last time one was elected. President George W. Bush got the United States involved in two costly wars, raised the national debt, destroyed the economy in 2008 and increased the size of the government .

Even though Perry claims to be even more conservative than Bush, independent voters are the ones who need to be swayed in order to win a nationwide election. What works in Texas won't work all across the country.

Case in point is Rep. Michele Bachmann's campaign. Business Insider reports Bachmann sent out an email to supporters trying to solicit funds for the third quarter. At the end, she sent a postscript stating she is running for president. No one needed to be reminded of this fact except perhaps Bachmann. She raised a record $5.4 million in one quarter for just her House re-election campaign in 2010. However, she needs to have a more widespread appeal and much more money to run for president.

Bachmann doesn't have the clout of being a business person who can have her own money to devote to a campaign. She works for voters and will need voters to give money in order to win against her opponents.

Romney has the advantage of money left over from his 2008 primary run. He's had much more time to raise money and has a strong network of supporters nationwide. Both Bachmann and Perry need to work for a fundraising network that Romney already has.

Recent polls bear out how Perry would do against Obama in a head-to-head matchup. Real Clear Politics reports Obama leads Perry by an average of 8.2 percentage points. The average is a culmination of six polls taken from early to mid-September. The highest margin was 11 points and the smallest five. Obama garnered an average of 49.5 percent of likely voters whereas Perry gets an average of only 41.3.

Despite low presidential approval ratings, Obama is still seen as more electable than Perry. Maybe it's because many voters feel the country will be even worse with Perry in office thanks to his predecessor. When it comes to Perry vs. Obama, the current commander-in-chief seems to be the lesser of two evils for likely voters.

It doesn't help that Republicans are fractured. Ultra-conservative tea party candidates may draw votes away from mainstream candidates in primary elections. If more controversial candidates go against Obama it will be even worse for the GOP during the general election.

William Browning is a research librarian specializing in U.S. politics. Born in St. Louis, Browning is active in local politics and served as a campaign volunteer for President Barack Obama and Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill.

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Romney wins Michigan straw poll; second straight loss for Perry (Exclusive to Yahoo! News)

By Ron Fournier
National Journal

MACKINAC ISLAND, Mich. - In a rout, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney trounced Rick Perry and the rest of the GOP field to win the National Journal Hotline/National Association of Home Builders Straw Poll of GOP activists attending a weekend conference in Michigan.

Romney received 51 percent of the 681 votes cast, a whopping 34-percentage point victory over second-place Perry, who garnered 17 percent. It was the second straight defeat for Perry in a straw poll, after he finished second in another contest Saturday in Florida. The twin disappointments, along with weak debate performances, have raised questions about whether the Texas governor will remain the perceived front-runner in the GOP nomination fight.

Romney grew up in suburban Detroit and in the Michigan governor's mansion; his father, George Romney, served as the state's chief executive from 1963 to 1969. Michigan is likely to hold its presidential nomination contest on Feb. 28, a week before Super Tuesday. It is also an important state in the general election contest.

(PHOTOS: The 20 youngest members of Congress)

Both Romney and Perry addressed the conference Saturday, and while Perry took subtle digs at his GOP rival, Romney denounced President Obama's economic leadership. "I just don't think he's equipped for what's happening," the former Massachusetts governor said.

Third place in the Hotline straw poll went to former Godfather's Pizza CEO Herman Cain, who won the Florida poll Saturday. He received 9 percent of the votes among Michigan Republican activists.

Among the other vote-getters:

· Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, 8 percent

· Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, 4 percent.

· Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia, 4 percent.

· Former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, 3 percent

· Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, 2 percent.

The National Journal Hotline/National Association of Home Builders poll also found that Florida Sen. Marco Rubio was easily the activists' favorite to be their party's vice presidential nominee. Rubio received 23 percent of the 481 votes cast for vice president. Cain finished second with 14 percent followed by Gingrich at 13 percent and Bachmann at 12 percent.

(2011 NOTABLES: From Elizabeth Taylor to Kara Kennedy Allen to Gil Scott-Heron)

The straw poll was conducted Friday and Saturday at the biennial Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference. Nearly 700 people cast votes in a poll that was open to all voting-age conference attendees, most of whom were party activists and elected officials. The straw poll is not a scientific survey and it does not necessarily reflect the attitudes of Michigan primary voters at large.

Questions exploring the activists' ideological views suggest that while the delegation was overwhelmingly conservative, a strain of pragmatism drove their decision-making. For instance, half said they would be willing to support a candidate who would get the economy moving, even if that candidate supported abortion rights and same sex marriage.

While 80 percent said the tea party will help the GOP in the 2012 elections, 17 percent said they fear the movement could alienate independent voters. Two out of every 10 straw ballot voters hold a negative view of the tea party.

(CONGRESS: The most liberal members)

The delegates were split almost evenly on the question of whether they value the qualities of electability or ideological agreement most in a candidate, with ideology getting 51 percent of the vote.

Romney seized home field advantage in his remarks Saturday night. He charmed he crowd with inside references to Michigan ("I like people who, when you ask them where you're from, they hold up their hand") and an endearing moment with his wife, Ann. As the Romneys stood side by side during Mrs. Romney's brief remarks, members of the audience began tapping their wine glasses with silverware, a wedding tradition that calls for a kiss from the bride and groom.

Romney at first looked puzzled then said, "Oh!" - and gave his wife a quick kiss.

Visit National Journal for more political news.

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Cain upsets Perry in Florida Republican straw poll (Reuters)

ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) – Former pizza executive Herman Cain surprised rival Rick Perry with an upset victory on Saturday in a Republican presidential straw poll in Florida, dealing a disappointing loss to the Texas governor two days after a shaky debate performance.

Perry, leading in the polls for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012, had needed a victory in what was an early test of strength to salve the wounds left over from a debate with his rivals on Thursday in which he struggled.

Instead, former Godfather's Pizza executive Cain, who is far behind the two top-tier candidates Perry and Mitt Romney, won with 37 percent of 2,657 votes cast.

Perry was a distant second at 15 percent, just ahead of Romney, who won 14 percent despite not participating in the poll. Further back were Rick Santorum, Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman and Michele Bachmann.

Florida's straw poll is a nonbinding popularity poll and is significant only in terms of showing a candidate's strength in the state. The state contests to determine the Republican nominee do not start until early next year.

The Perry camp shrugged off the results.

"Cain won, we still have work to do," said Perry spokesman Mark Miner. "It's his day. The conservative message won today. We've been in this race for five weeks. We're going to continue campaigning hard."

Miner put the focus on Romney's third-place finish, saying Perry's chief rival has been running for president for years and is still not breaking through.

"It's more of what happened to Mitt Romney. He's not going to be crowned president of the United States. He's going to have to work for it. And after five and a half years he once again got rejected in a key state in the Republican primary process," Miner said.

Perry created doubts among some conservatives at a debate with his Republican rivals on Thursday that he admitted on Friday was not his best performance. He was criticized by his rivals for a Texas policy that allows children of illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition rates at Texas colleges.

"Perry doesn't stand for our constitutional values," said delegate Kris Anne Hall, who voted for Cain. "Perry doesn't stand up against illegal immigration."

Perry surrogate Michael Williams, in addressing the straw poll delegates on Saturday before the vote, sought to do some damage control for the Texas governor, who had addressed an Orlando breakfast earlier before campaigning in Michigan.

"We're not electing a debater-in-chief, we're electing a commander-in-chief," said Williams, adding that no illegal immigrant in Texas had received a handout for a free education.

Cain, an African-American who promotes himself as a pragmatic problem-solver with a clear tax reform plan, eagerly welcomed the victory.

"This is a sign of our growing momentum and my candidacy that cannot be ignored," Cain said after his win.

Most political analysts give him no chance of winning the nomination.

But Florida's Republican Party had noted that since 1979 every winner of the Florida straw poll has gone on to become the party's nominee. Senator John McCain won it in the 2008 cycle and defeated Romney to become the nominee.

Florida, the most populous of the presidential swing states, is a critical test for both Republicans and Democrats. The Florida vote was so close in the 2000 election that it led to a ballot recount battle between Democrat Al Gore and Republican George W. Bush, who was ruled the winner.

Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, and Bachmann chose not to compete in the straw poll but since they took part in the debate and spoke earlier to delegates at the convention in Orlando, the Florida Republican Party put their names on the ballot.

Perry issued a statement after the straw poll results were revealed that was clearly aimed at Romney.

"Floridians and voters nationally want a candidate who is clear on the issues and talks honestly about the future, not someone who takes multiple sides of an issue and changes views every election season. Today's vote demonstrates that Floridians are energized and ready to help get America working again," he said.

(Editing by Will Dunham)

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Perry works to show he's strongest GOP contender (AP)

By PHILIP ELLIOTT and KASIE HUNT, Associated Press Philip Elliott And Kasie Hunt, Associated Press – Sun Sep 25, 3:30 am ET

ORLANDO, Fla. – Texas Gov. Rick Perry worked to convince Florida Republicans Saturday that he is the strongest contender for the GOP nomination despite a shaky debate performance earlier this week that has sparked jitters about his bid.

Perry lost a key test vote in Florida to businessman Herman Cain on Saturday after making a strong effort to win. Perry's second-place finish in the straw poll came just days after he faltered in a debate in Orlando, Fla.

Perry's recent troubles have sparked another round of angst among Republicans about their slate of presidential candidates.

In an interview with the Associated Press Saturday after he had left Florida for a lunchtime speech in Michigan, Perry addressed speculation that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie might reconsider running for president in 2012.

"I see anybody that gets in the race that believes in America and is a small government but efficient government individual, I would welcome into the race. It just strengthens the point that the Republican Party's all about getting our country working again. Whoever that is," Perry said of Christie. "And I'm also a big believer in these governors being freed up to be able to compete against each other. Chris Christie is a great competitor — and I'll be up there, you know, in Jersey, looking for some businesses to move to Texas."

Christie insisted just this Thursday that he does not plan to run for president in 2012. Bill Palatucci, Christie's longtime friend and political adviser, told the AP on Saturday night, "Nothing has changed."

But the more intense discussions of a Christie candidacy are further evidence that Perry's bid could be in trouble.

Activists at the Florida test vote kept bringing Christie up as a possible contender. Merick Lewin, who owns a marketing company in Davie, Fla., said he believes it's a two-person race — unless Christie runs.

"He's tough. He's strong. He could really shake this up, especially if Rick Perry implodes," Lewin said.

Perry, a late entrant into the Republican primary who quickly led national polls, stumbled in recent weeks.

His defense of in-state tuition rates for illegal immigrants put him on the wrong side of the GOP's conservative base. His rivals worked to exploit his opposition to a fence along the U.S.-Mexican border and his support of a mandatory vaccine for girls against a sexually transmitted disease.

Perry left Florida to speak to GOP activists at a gathering on Mackinac Island in Michigan. Romney, the son of a former Michigan governor, also was attending that event.

Cain captured 37.1 percent of the vote at Saturday's Presidency 5 straw poll in Orlando, with Perry coming in second with 15.4 percent. Mitt Romney came in third with14 percent and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania followed with 10.88 percent.

While all declared candidates were on the ballot, the first-tier candidates did not compete. Perry bought hundreds of activists' breakfasts on the sidelines before heading to Michigan. Romney skipped and didn't send representatives to the forum. Romney and U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota both left Florida before the voting began and their campaigns discounted the straw poll's role in the campaign. Bachmann finished eighth with 1.51 percent in the straw poll.

The results were unlikely to shuffle the campaign's standings. Instead, they were mostly a popularity contest among the delegates selected by local party organizations.

Ahead of the test vote, Perry's campaign bought breakfast for hundreds of the party faithful assembled for a three-day conference and debate. Perry said skipping the straw poll was a blunder.

"I think that's a big mistake. I think it's very important," Perry said, citing its history.

Previous straw polls have predicted the GOP nominee.

Ronald Reagan won in 1979, George H.W. Bush in 1987 and Kansas Sen. Bob Dole in 1995. The Republican Party of Florida, however, has not organized the test vote in recent years.

After the vote, Perry released a statement congratulating Cain. His spokesman, Mark Miner, acknowledged his debate performance played a role in the straw poll vote, but insisted the campaign would not change strategy.

"He's the commander in chief, not the debater in chief," Miner said.

Cain's speech Saturday energized the attending activists. "Let's send Washington a message: We the people are still in charge of this country. Not we, the bureaucrats. Not we, the government," Cain told the conference.

Santorum said delegates should stand with "someone who can win the election, someone who is a consistent, authentic conservative ... who has proved they can win in states that we have to win."

Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich said he was the one who could best take on Obama.

__

Hunt reported from Mackinac Island, Mich. Associated Press reporter Beth DeFalco contributed to this story from New Jersey.

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Hume: ‘Perry is about one-half a step away from almost total collapse’ (Daily Caller)

Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s lackluster performance in the three Republican primary debates he has participated in thus far has many conservatives scratching their heads and wondering if he isn’t the dream candidate many thought he might be two months ago. But just how much trouble is his campaign in?

While analyzing the results of Saturday’s Florida Straw Poll on “Fox News Sunday,” Fox News senior political contributor Brit Hume said businessman Herman Cain’s victory may not mean all too much and that Perry’s lackluster performances recently may indicate his campaign is on the verge of  “total collapse.”

“You can read it any of those three ways it seems to me,” Hume said. (RELATED: Hume on Obama: ‘Making a big speech right now is probably the last thing he should do’)

“I mean Perry really did throw up all over himself in the debate at a time when he needed to raise his game. He did worse it seems to me than previous debates. Romney was as strong as he’s been lately. He has clearly raised his game in reaction to the emergence of Perry. It’s been good for Romney in a way that one might not have predicted. Michelle Bachmann seems — I mean she was dead last with [a] tiny fraction. Look, Herman Cain was there. He tried hard in this. He gave a stemwinder speech. He is a marvelous stump speaker. It seems to me he gets a moment out of this, but I can’t imagine it’s going to last very long. Perry is about one-half a step away from almost total collapse as a candidate.”

Later in the panel, Hume explained the Texas governor’s position on immigration may be the one glaring flaw in his candidacy.

“I don’t think we’re being too harsh on Rick Perry,” Hume said. “He still has some opportunity to recover his balance and put in a strong performance. What was so strikingly troubling about — from a Republican point of view — about this performance was that Perry was thought of as a true conservative. Now it appears he has a position in immigration which is anathema to a lot of conservatives. So this really hurts him with the base. You can’t, you know — look at all of the Romney. He’s got some trouble with the base. That’s what’s holding him back. Now Perry has got the same trouble and his weakness is very real indeed.”

Watch:

As far as the prospects of another candidate like New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie entering the race, Hume warned not to get one’s hopes up for an unknown commodity.

“As for whether someone might get in the race — you can’t rule anything out,” Hume said. “It is still early, but what keeps happening here is these people keep having a moment and they get in the race as Perry did, zoom to the top. Everybody’s in love and get then we get a dose of them in reality on the debate stage or wherever and they don’t seem so great. Now I am as impressed as the next person is by Gov. Christie’s tough sort of tough love governance in New Jersey. But who knows how he would fare on the national stage, you know freshly minted from a governorship, having not spent all that much time on the national issues. If he gets on a debate stage, he could screw up badly as the next guy.”

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Perry, Romney look beyond early-voting states (AP)

MACKINAC ISLAND, Mich. – Mitt Romney and Rick Perry are the only two Republican presidential candidates who can afford to spend their time and money in states that aren't first on the primary calendar.

That helps explain their appearances Saturday in Michigan, where GOP voters will have their say in 2012, but only after Iowa, New Hampshire and several other states that second-tier contenders must win to survive.

"It's really about these two up here," said Jase Bolger, the speaker of Michigan's House of Representatives.

Compare that with 2007, when the Michigan gathering drew seven presidential candidates.

And even though there were two this time, Saturday's events made clear that Michigan Republicans have just one favorite: Mitt Romney. For the former Massachusetts governor, a Michigan native, the event was a homecoming. His father was governor and Romney spent summers on Mackinac as a child at the governor's summer residence.

Romney received a hugely enthusiastic welcome. He walked into the dining room where he was giving the dinner keynote speech and wandered through the tables, shaking hands and greeting attendees as old friends. He received a standing ovation when the state attorney general announced, "our own, Michigan, Mitt Romney!"

Romney delivered for the hometown crowd, giving a longer, 20-minute version of his typical stump speech, peppered with references to Michigan cars and ginger ale. He was visibly at ease, and his strong rapport with the crowd allowed him to turn in one of his best performances on the campaign trail so far this year.

"What's needed in America is not a little stimulus, a little can of gasoline thrown on the fire, but instead, rebuilding the foundation of the economy. That's what I do," Romney said.

Romney's wife, Ann Romney, spoke briefly, prompting the crowd to tap their glasses and call for a toast.

They kissed briefly. "We're not going to do an Al Gore moment," she joked, referring to a long public kiss Al Gore once shared with his then-wife, Tipper.

It was a friendly end to a good day for the former Massachusetts governor. His chief rival, Perry, lost a key test vote in Florida, coming in second behind businessman Herman Cain. Romney, who didn't compete in that contest, came in third — and less than a percentage point behind Perry.

Romney didn't mention Perry in his speech here Saturday night. He did address illegal immigration, however, seeming to rebuke Perry's assertion in Thursday's debate that candidates who oppose in-state tuition for the children of illegal immigrants have "no heart."

"Let the world understand that Republicans love legal immigration. It is a good thing and we like it," Romney said. "And to protect legal immigration, we will make sure we stop illegal immigration."

Perry, the Texas governor, addressed the GOP faithful here earlier in the day. He made a glancing reference to his chief rival during a 15-minute address at the Grand Hotel, where photos of former Gov. George Romney hang from the walls.

`'There may be slicker candidates and there might be smoother debaters, but I know what I believe in," he said in between attacks on President Obama's health care law and boasts about his job-creating record in Texas.

His remarks, which offered him the chance to introduce himself to Michigan voters, also were an acknowledgement that his campaign is trying to shake off the perception that he's struggling after a lackluster debate performance Thursday in Florida.

Perry met privately with donors after the event and then some state lawmakers before heading to a fundraiser in Shreveport, La. Romney plans to stay overnight on Mackinac Island.

"I don't know whether they perceive Mitt Romney to be their hometown guy or not — I think they're looking for a leader," Perry told The Associated Press after speaking to the legislators.

Romney held a meeting with those lawmakers as Perry was set to speak at a lunch a few floors below at the hotel. One person arrived wearing a "Romney" button, from George Romney's 1962 campaign for governor.

The docks where the ferries arrive were decorated with several "Romney for President" signs and the island was packed with volunteers handing out campaign literature.

"We're not taking anything for granted," said Rob Macomber, Romney's state director for Michigan. "But obviously there's a lot of good will toward the Romneys here."

Perry's debate performance had clearly heartened Romney's associates.

"It's going to happen this time," Ann Romney told Republican National Committeeman Saul Anuzis on her way into the meeting with lawmakers. "Perry in the debate? Shocking," she said.

Romney sought the GOP nomination in 2008, but Arizona Sen. John McCain came out on top. Michigan was the only state that Romney won before he dropped out.

In the debate, Perry's rivals raised questions about his record on immigration, public health and Social Security.

While Romney and Perry played to the GOP faithful on this resort island in the Great Lakes, their rivals were scattered.

Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman was in New Hampshire, where he's staked his candidacy. U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota was busy fundraising as she struggles to remain a relevant force in the race. Businessman Herman Cain, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania were in Florida, site of a straw poll.

___

Associated Press writers Philip Elliott in Orlando, Fla., and Kathy Barks Hoffman in Mackinac Island, Mich., contributed to this report.

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Why Perry Dominates GOP Field by Double Digits in Latest Poll (ContributorNetwork)

ANALYSIS | It wasn't so long ago that Texas governor Rick Perry's staffers were fielding questions in Austin and telling everyone that the charismatic politician wasn't even considering a run for the Oval Office. But that was at the end of May and early June. Perry became a presidential candidate on August 13, and the general low-level support that had previously been shown toward a crowded field of Republican candidates -- all seemed bunched together under the 20 percent mark without a definite leader -- quickly morphed into a 12-point lead for the Texan.

According to the most recent Gallup poll, Gov. Perry leads all contenders for the 2012 GOP nomination with 29 percent support from Republican and Republican-leaning independents. But more impressively, he has opened up a lead over former national poll frontrunner Mitt Romney by 12 percentage points. Third place is held by fellow Texan, Congressman Ron Paul, who, following a tremendous amount of coverage of the fact that he was not being covered by the media (and in some cases intentionally), moved up in the poll to pull in 13 percent. Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann scored only 10 percent support for a fourth place slot despite her recent victory at the Ames Straw Poll in Iowa, not to mention enjoying second-place status to Romney in several recent national polls.

But what changed the dynamic of the grouping and their order of preference? Apparently, it was Gov. Perry's commitment to actually run, as opposed to the rumblings and the rumors that he was courting financial supporters and merely considering the possibility of a run for office. There is evidence that poll numbers reflect that to be the case.

In July, when speculation of a possible candidacy was at its highest, support for Perry in a national Gallup Poll indicated that he had 18 percent support as opposed to Romney, a declared candidate, who had 23 percent support. Romney lost six percent of GOP support in one month. Bachmann, who shares an electorate base with Perry, lost three points.

Rick Perry jumped 11 points in the poll.

At the same time, it should be pointed out that preference for particular candidates shifted, while the overall percentage showing preference remained nearly the same. This was reflected in the fact that the number of undecided voters remained relatively static. In July, 18 percent of respondents noted they had "No Preference." By August, those showing indecision or no preference was 17 percent. This would indicate that Perry's commitment to run altered Republican respondent preference for those who had a preferential candidate, a conclusion that can be bolstered by the uptick in support for MItt Romney when he announced his candidacy in early June. Polls had previously shown Romney in a neck-and-neck battle with undeclared candidate Sarah Palin (with numbers relatively unchanged from the dropping out of the race in mid-May of poll frontrunners Donald Trump and Mike Huckabee) until he declared his candidacy on June 2. Within days, as a list of polls at Real Clear Politics shows, Romney jumped to a sizeable lead of Palin.

So does this mean that Rick Perry should worry about the late entrance into the race of other candidates? Possibly. Among them is the aforementioned Palin, whose candidacy, though uncertain at present, brings with it national name recognition and a ready-made financial support system (SarahPAC). Other names being bandied about by the press are former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, former New York governor George Pataki, and New Jersey governor Chris Christie.

The Gallup Poll is the third major national poll to show Perry with a double digit lead in the GOP nomination race. Rasmussen Reports polled Perry with an 11-point lead over Romney, while Public Policy Polling showed Perry leading Romney by 10 points.

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Past nemesis Kay Bailey Hutchison says she would support ‘nominee’ Rick Perry (Daily Caller)

Texas Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison might have traded barbs with Texas Gov. Rick Perry during the last Texas gubernatorial election, but she insisted Wednesday that she will support whoever the nominee is, even if it is her former political nemesis.

“Of course I will be for the Republican nominee for President. We need new leadership that understands how to create jobs in America,” she said in an interview with David Asman on Fox Business set to air Wednesday night. “We have got to get rid of overregulation, overtaxation of our businesses so our private sector can thrive.”

“I will support the Republican nominee, whoever it is, because I know we can do better for our economy,” Hutchison said.

Perry is currently polling as one of the early front-runners in the Republican presidential primary race.

Despite their wranglings when she attempted to unseat him as governor in 2010, Hutchison appears to have put the past behind her.

“It was a very tough race. He had told our supporters he wouldn’t run and changed his mind. I was running for an open seat for governor, I thought, but he pivoted and decided to run again,” she said. “I thought I was unfairly criticized, but of course I would think so. (RELATED: Perry signs pro-life pledge)

“I’m concentrating on finishing my last year and a half, and trying to help get our ship of state on the right course.”

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Obama is Already the Messiah -- so Perry Is Not Allowed to Be a Prophet (ContributorNetwork)

COMMENTARY | During an interview with FOX News Neil Cavuto, Texas Gov. and President Obama's latest GOP challenger Rick Perry committed what the liberal left is attempting to spin to the heights of blasphemy. When asked why he suffers from the "Chris Christy phenomenon," of being "very popular" outside his state but "not nearly as popular" within his state, the answer raised both eyebrows and a few hackles.

"I'd say a prophet is generally not loved in their hometown. That's both Biblical and practical."

Richard Connelly, fellow Texan and political blogger for the Houston Press surely isn't feeling the love.

"We gotta say," Richard hacked up on his blog - appropriately named "Hairballs - "we are simply in love with the idea that Perry seems to be beginning to think that all he has to do is announce his availability for the GOP nomination and everything will fall in his lap."

Well Richard, in only one week after his announcement Rick Perry is tied with Obama in the polls... and while I appreciate your opinion, isn't having confidence in your ability to win a race one of the prerequisites of entering? Besides, wasn't it you who later wrote that "You have to admit -- Texas politicians can be very entertaining. Dangerous, yes; misguided, almost always; but at least they provide lots of laughs, none of them intentional"?

Funny, for a proud Lone Star Stater whose Number One on a list of fifty reasons why "Texas Is The Best State In America" is that "Texans are so damn charming when they brag about their state," Richard sure does spend a lot of time distancing himself from and apologizing for the fact that "three of our last nine presidents have been from Texas."

The day after Barack Obama was elected president, the Chicago Tribune wrote of how 62-year old retired Coca Cola information systems worker Larry Younginer knelt in front of the congregants at his suburban Atlanta church and offered a prayer of thanks.

"Lord, we have again come to you in prayer, and you have heard our cries from heaven, and you have sent us again from the state called Illinois, a man called Barack to heal our land."

Chris Matthews, reacting like some teenage girl at a Justin Bieber concert said: "This is bigger than Kennedy. This is the New Testament. I felt this thrill going up my leg."

Overnight, the world was sniper-plastered with posters and statues of the deified Obama and worshipful cover stories full of similar encomiums filled news-stands around the world.

And you think Perry is buying into his own hype?

Still high on his trip to Berlin, Germany where thousands flocked to see the new American Messiah - oh, and perhaps the free concert offered by two popular bands who took the stage first - Obama humbly borrowed the words of (now Former Speaker of the House) Nancy Pelosi (D-San Fran) and agreed that yes, he is the one and "this is the moment that the world is waiting for."

"When the messiah speaks the youth will hear," Louis Farrakhan said of Obama in 2008. "And the messiah is absolutely speaking."

Then there is the website whose faithful truly believe that, "Obama is, of course, greater than Jesus"

In the meantime, the liberal flock is having a holy cow because Rick Perry had the nerve to insinuate himself anywhere near even the lower category on the divinity scale of "prophet".

Cenk Uygur , the uber-progressive online talk show host of The Young Turks - whose brief tenure as an anchor on MSNBC Live ended abruptly in July because he was considered too combative towards "those in power" has taken aim at Perry who threatens to obtain power.

"Rick Perry is somewhat unpopular in his own state" Uygur is quick to reiterate. "His approval rating is 41 percent and his disapproval rating is 42%. It's pretty close but an approval rating of 42 percent is not awe inspiring and if you're going to run for president and you only have that kind of approval in your own state, that's not very good."

Well Cenk, while Barack Obama still maintains approval in his home state of Illinois, Gallup says he is somewhat unpopular in a lot of other states. In fact, a recent Gallup poll shows his approval rating hit a new all time low of 38 percent with 54 percent disapproval nationwide. By your description of Perry's record it should be safe to assume that Obama's record qualifies -at best - as worse than "not very good."

"Part of the reason is he has this gigantic deficit he created," Uyugar theorized of Perry's poll woes in Texas, "$27 billion dollars - right. So that does not help."

Well, Perry's $27 billion affects only the residents of Texas. Obama racking up the national public debt to over $14,656,359,494,756 [and counting] and strapping $47,098.55 to the backs of every man, woman and child in the United States doesn't help either.

"Who's a prophet?" Cent Uygur asks.

Well, according to the American Heritage dictionary a prophet is, besides someone like Obama - "A person who speaks by divine inspiration or as the interpreter through whom the will of a god is expressed" and "A person gifted with profound moral insight and exceptional powers of expression" - a prophet can also be "A predictor; a soothsayer" or "The chief spokesperson of a movement or cause."

Perry's campaign slogan is, "Get America Working Again." Speaking at a rally in Austin, Texas, Perry said there are "One in six work eligible Americans who cannot find a full time job. Mr. President - that is not an economic recovery. That is an economic disaster."

Oh, and for those who want to believe that Rick Perry is simply "too dumb" to be president and prefer to cling to the hope that Barack Obama is one of the greatest intellects and the smartest president ever... Noemie Emery of the Washington Examiner shares these thoughts:

"Based on results, Perry," who wants to be president, "has been more successful as governor of Texas than Obama has been as president, or as anything else he has ever tried being, in the entire whole course of his life."

In the meantime, Obama has been president for almost three years, has proven to be "the political genius who shed 30 points in his first years in office - blew up his coalition in his first months in office" and "led his party to annihilation in the 2010 midterms."

Oh, and speaking of prophets, Miriam-Webster gives the example that this moniker can also be applied to "an economist who is regarded by many as a reliable prophet of future developments in the global economy."

"We cannot have four more years of these high unemployment rates," Perry said in Austin, Texas. We cannot survive four more years of "the failed stimulus', these record debts, this poor credit... it's time for a change."

Of the United States Economic Confidence and Job Creation Indexes, Gallup says we're at 9 percent and -54 percent respectively.

So what if Perry believes he can win. So what if he likened himself to a prophet. It's a hell of a lot less arrogant than saying, "I have become a symbol of the possibility of America returning to our best traditions" and that, by virtue of his election alone he is "absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that - this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal."

Yes, just like Richard Connely, Gov. Rick Perry "is proud of Texas" and of his accomplishments as governor.

However, as Governor of Texas - rather than a Hairballs blogger touting his home girl Beyonce's "specific parts" as Number Five on his list of things that makes Texas great and unlike Barack Obama, who likes to roll up his sleeves and talk about creating jobs that never materialize - Rick Perry likes to brag that his state has created 40 percent of all the jobs in this country since June of 2009... and that the credit rating for the Lone Star State went up.

Top that.

So, how did Rick Perry manage to improve the economic position of Texas while the crushing policies of Barack Obama have wreaked havoc in other states as well as around the globe?

"Don't spend all the money. Keep regulations fair and predictable. Keep taxes as low as possible and then get the government out of the way."

"You can't call yourself a prophet," Cenk Uygur, former "combative" anchor for MSNBC and uber-progressive online talk show host of The Young Turks insists.

Um, according to Miriam-Webster, Mr. Uygur - "Yes we can."

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Rick Perry zips past Mitt Romney in the polls (The Christian Science Monitor)

Washington – America, you have a new GOP frontrunner: Rick Perry has roared to the front of the GOP presidential field, according to the latest Gallup poll.

In only a short few weeks since the Texas governor announced his candidacy, Perry has gobbled up former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney’s lead in the national polls and then some, opening up a 12 percentage point advantage.

Not only that: Perry leads Romney among conservatives by a 33-16 margin, among all categories of church goers (even those who rarely, if ever, attend), and among all age groups. The only geographic grouping where Romney prevails is in the east, and even there he is ahead by a single percentage point.

(And don’t look now, but Texas Congressman Ron Paul has overtaken Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann for third place.)

Isn’t this just another tick in the horse race? Why are you telling us this, Decoder?

A campaign narrative can change in a flash. The open question with Mitt Romney was whether his slow, steady and largely silent campaign were keeping him above the fray or just lowering his profile. Now, it looks like it prevented him from putting down deep roots with Republican voters, who are, at least for the moment, flocking to the swaggering Texan.

Like your politics unscrambled? Go to DCDecoder.com

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Gallup: Perry leading nationally, Romney second, Paul third (The Ticket)

Less than two weeks into his official campaign for the Republican presidential nomination, Rick Perry has a 12-point lead over Mitt Romney, according to a nationwide Gallup poll of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents released Wednesday. Perry, the Texas governor, received the support of 29 percent of the poll's respondents.

Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor who was in first place in the previous three Gallup surveys this year,  slipped to 17 percent in the poll, just four points ahead of Texas Rep. Ron Paul, with 13 percent.

The poll's margin of error is 4 percent.

A closer look at the numbers shows that, similar to recent polls taken in Iowa, Perry's base of support lies with the most conservative voters. Thirty-three percent of self-identifying conservatives said they were most likely to vote for Perry, while 16 percent of those voters backed Romney. Among those who attend church regularly, Perry leads Romney by eight points.

Romney does have a slight edge on Perry among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents on the east coast, and Paul dominates among younger voters, carrying nearly 30 percent of the voters between 18 and 29.

Gallup poll

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Perry passes Romney among Republicans in polls (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Rick Perry has taken a double-digit lead over Mitt Romney in the Republican presidential nomination race in two polls released on Wednesday, an indication that the Texas governor could replace the former Massachusetts governor as early favorite.

Although he only formally entered the race on August 13, 29 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents said Perry would most likely be their choice to oppose Democratic President Barack Obama in 2012, according to a Gallup poll.

Perry's support among Republicans was not dented by strong comments just after getting into the race, when he raised eyebrows among some of the party's opinion leaders by seeming to threaten Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and questioning Obama's patriotism.

The first nominating contests will not begin until early next year, but most of the other Republican White House hopefuls have been campaigning for months. Romney had been first in most nationwide opinion polls.

Gallup said 17 percent favored Romney, when asked to rate the field of candidates vying for the nomination. Texas Congressman Ron Paul was third, at 13 percent, and Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann came fourth, with 10 percent.

The telephone poll of 1,040 Republicans and Republican-leaning independents on August 17-21 was the first conducted after the second Republican candidates' debate in Iowa, the Iowa Straw Poll and Perry's entry into the race.

Businessman Herman Cain was at 4 percent, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich had 3 percent, ex-Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum was at 3 percent and former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman had 1 percent support in the Gallup poll.

Perry also had a big lead over Romney in a survey of Republican primary voters conducted by the Democratic pollster Public Policy Polling.

Thirty-three percent said they would vote for Perry, versus 20 percent for Romney. Bachmann had 16 percent support. The rest of the field was in single digits, with Gingrich at 8 percent, Paul and Cain at 6 percent, Santorum at 4 percent and Huntsman with 3 percent.

PPP surveyed 663 Republican primary voters from August 18 to 21st.

(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle, editing by Cynthia Osterman)

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Perry swipes at Romney over health care and says he won’t vacation in Martha’s Vineyard (The Ticket)

Perry (Brett Flashnick/AP)

Rick Perry took a not-so-subtle swipe Thursday at Mitt Romney for supporting a state-sponsored health care program in 2005, when Romney was governor of Massachusetts.

"I think Mitt is finally recognizing that the Massachusetts health care plan that he passed is a huge problem for him," Perry, the Texas governor and Republican presidential candidate, told radio host Laura Ingraham. "And yeah, it was not 'almost perfect.' I truly believe that you have to have the free market in play with our health care. I think Obamacare, which was modeled after the Massachusetts plan, was an absolute debacle."

Romney's plan--which included a government mandate that individuals purchase health insurance and a state health care exchange program--resembles President Barack Obama's national health care reform that that passed last year.

Switching to the topic of Obama's current summer vacation in New England at the end of the interview, Ingraham asked Perry to pledge that he will "never vacation on Martha's Vineyard."

"I'm not even sure I know where it is," Perry said.

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Perry putting out feelers in Iowa (Daily Caller)

A new development in the will-he-or-won’t-he guessing game over Rick Perry’s possible presidential run: the Texas governor has started to call Iowa Republican donors, according to Politico.

Apparently a number of donors in the state are unhappy with the current crop of Republicans vying for the Republican nomination, and plan to convene a meeting of national donors in Austin in late July. The meeting, which Perry may not even attend, is a meeting of his political allies, hoping to determine what kind of funding would be available for a presidential run. “This isn’t the first or last meeting,” a source told Politico. (Rick Perry may have tough time swaying Latino voters)

One activist, a prominent Iowa Republican named Joni Scotter, said Perry called her and asked if he should run. He was undecided, but she told him “of course” he should.

Scotter wouldn’t say more about the conversation, but Perry’s spokesman Dave Carney confirmed that the governor had been reaching out, “calling some folks, returning some calls and listening to what folks have to say.”

Meanwhile, a group not officially affiliated with Perry hired former Newt Gingrich staffer Craig Schoenfeld to gather support for the governor in Iowa’s Ames Straw Poll. Schoenfeld is a key player in Iowa politics, and the group hopes to raise both Perry’s Iowa and national profiles.

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Special session ends 170-day Perry, GOP dominance (AP)

AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Gov. Rick Perry and fellow state Republicans spent the last six months flexing their political muscle and emerged from the Legislature's 30-day special session boasting significant victories, while sidestepping two notable defeats.

Lawmakers left town Wednesday after voting to cut $4 billion from public education in the final piece of deep state budget cuts over the next two years, approved new congressional districts for the 2012 elections and reforms to the state hurricane insurance association.

But two of Perry's priority items — an illegal immigration enforcement bill and a measure to curtail invasive body searches of air travellers — failed to pass. Still, the outspoken state leader who is considering a presidential run congratulated Republicans for using their massive numbers in the House and Senate to pass an agenda fueled by tea party conservatives.

"The decisions made were difficult, but lawmakers should take pride in the fact that they did what families all across Texas are doing: living within their means," Perry said, touting the fiscal conservative message that has become his hallmark.

After landslide elections in 2010, Republicans held a 101-49 supermajority in the House and a 19-12 edge in the Senate.

With those numbers behind him, Perry pushed the Legislature to pass a balanced budget without raising taxes. The result was a $15 billion reduction that prompted protests that lawmakers were cutting too deep in social services and education in the $172 billion overall spending plan.

Republicans shoved aside Democrats to pass several of Perry's priority items, including a measure requiring pregnant women seeking an abortion to first have an ultrasound performed, a bill requiring voters to present photo identification before casting ballots and a "loser pays" bill aimed at curbing frivolous lawsuits. Perry and Republicans knew they had limited time to use their unprecedented power.

Republicans' 101-member majority in the House likely won't last beyond 2012 when new voting districts will pit several GOP lawmakers against each other and Democrats are expected to pick up seats in new districts dominated by Hispanic voters. Even if they aren't likely to grab a majority, more seats in the House would give Democrats a fighting chance to block Republican bills.

Democrats and teachers groups warned the education cuts could lead to firings of thousands of teachers and school staff and rising local property taxes to make up the difference. The cuts sparked several teacher rallies and harsh words from liberal groups, who argued the state should use an estimated $10 billion in reserve funds, a move Perry flatly rejected.

"This Legislature will go down in the history books as the worst for public education in a generation," said Rep. Mike Villarreal, D-San Antonio. "Now it's time for legislators to go home and explain to their communities why they voted for or against these historic education cuts. I imagine they will be a few uncomfortable town hall meetings."

Even some Republicans acknowledged the school cut was a tough vote. Several Republicans representing rural districts voted against the measure on Tuesday before turning around an hour later to pass it. Democrats said the Republican agenda was fueled by the political ambitions of Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, a Republican who is considering a run for U.S. Senate.

"The regular and special session were dominated by 'red meat' partisan wedge issues that divide Texans at a time we should be working together to secure our future," said Texas Democratic Party Chairman Boyd Richie. Democrats made desperate bids to block Perry's agenda but had few weapons at their disposal.

Voting rules in the regular session gave Democrats just enough votes to block a bill allowing concealed handgun license holders to bring their weapons into college classrooms. Perry was forced to call the special session when a filibuster by Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, killed the school cuts bill without of a Senate vote.

But even that move was only temporary as Perry called the special session the next day.

Democrats got a boost from some unusual allies to block the immigration enforcement bill.

Perry and the Republican leadership wanted to give police more authority to ask people they detain about their citizenship status. Perry said it would help police crack down on crime by illegal immigrants. Hispanic Democrats called it racist and a tool to harass Latinos.

The immigration bill passed the House in the regular session and a new version passed the Senate in the special session. But it lost momentum when business groups typically allied with Perry lobbied to kill the bill without a final vote in the House in the final days of the special session.

The airport pat-down bill also died in the special session without a final House vote. Perry and the House blamed Senate Republicans, who in turn told Perry to back off and blamed the House. Perry then flew to California to give a speech and fuel more speculation that he'll run for president.

"It took a little longer than any of us wanted, but we're finally closing very successful and productive, although difficult, legislative sessions," Republican House Speaker Joe Straus said

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Rick Perry may have tough time swaying Latino voters (Daily Caller)

As speculation swirls that Texas Gov. Rick Perry may enter the race for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, the Miami Herald reports he may have difficulty attracting Latino voters.

Yesterday in San Antonio, Perry addressed the 28th annual conference of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. The governor’s speech made mention both of his record of appointing Hispanics and his economic achievement as the state’s executive. And though he received polite applause, the mood was tense.

(Perry joke about Jose Cuervo falls flat at Latino convention)

At the root could be the governor’s inclusion of a “sanctuary city” bill in the special session of the state legislature. The bill threatens to withhold state aid from local governments that prevent police officers from asking about immigration status. Hispanics may also be upset with a bill Perry signed into law last month, requiring photo identification at polling stations. Both are hot-button issues for Latinos.

And Latino voters could prove to be a crucial demographic in 2012. They’re expected to turn out in record numbers, with a possible 26% increase in Latino turnout from the 2008 election.

Perry, a master politician, avoided any mention of the sanctuary city bill or the photo identification bill during his speech, instead focusing on broad themes. He also addressed the audience, saying Hispanic contributions were important for “the future of Texas.” The state’s future, he said to the Latino crowd, is “incredibly right because of men and women like you.”

But one of Perry’s opponents remains cautious. Democratic state representative Trey Martinez Fischer, chairman of Texas’ Mexican-American Legislative Caucus, told the Herald: “Governor Perry is a phenomenal politician and he can campaign like no other, but you’ve got to get beyond the person…Latino voters will look at action but not words. When Latinos scrutinize the actions that have been taken in this state, they’ll look for another choice.”

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