Meet The Candidates: 2012 GOP Thread

[12thMan]

I wanted to bump this to add Rick Perry to the mix. He'll probably announce this weekend. Of all the candidates, I probably know the least about this guy.

Rick Perry (Governor Texas) Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998 and assumed the governorship in December 2000 when George W. Bush resigned to become President of the United States. Perry was elected to full gubernatorial terms in 2002, 2006 and 2010.

Of the entire GOP, Governor Perry is the only candidate that is a sitting governor. That probably gives him a leg up on the rest of the field as he can discuss the pressing issues in real time; state budgets, unemployment, and immigration. Speaking of real time, two years ago this month Texas was on the other of a credit rating upgrade issued by none other than S&P, which could theoretically put Perry's economic stewardship in stark contrast to that of President Obama's, who just oversaw the first credit rating downgrade in the nation's history.

My sense is the GOP establishment is split on Perry. On one hand, he can immediately put several states into play, Texas included of course. On the other hand, well, he's from Texas. And I'm sure Democrats will be falling over themselves to remind voters of the last president that came from the state of Texas. So far Perry has already dipped his toe into the same sex marriage debate, got a little slap on the wrist from some big donors and later "refined" his position. Whoops! Happens. Candidates say things and they have to walk it back a bit.

Governor Perry has a few things going for him. He's a clear alternative to Mitt Romney. I think voters will see a big state politician with small town and folksy appeal. He even looks like the part. Governor Perry and Michele Bachmann, and to some extent Ron Paul, will appeal to the libertarian and evangelical wing of the party. The least happiest guy in the race about Perry's decision to jump in the race is Tim Pawlenty. This could possibly suck what little oxygen his campaign had left.

On paper Perry looks like the candidate the GOP has been waiting for, let's see what he has once he's on the stump.