Perry alluded to the presidential rumors, but declined to tip his hand about any decision. (David J. Phillip/AP, File)

Almost half the jobs created during the Obama recovery have been created in Texas. Which perhaps means it should be called the Obama-Perry recovery. Or the Perry-Obama recovery – it's not clear who should get top billing, though outgoing Texas Gov. Rick Perry certainly has pushed a better pro-growth agenda than the president.

In fact, while the "blue states" are running up debt and flirting with bankruptcy, the "red states" continue to take the lead in cutting taxes, streamlining government and job creation, according to a report issued Monday by the State Government Leadership Foundation and being distributed by the Republican Legislative Campaign Committee.

The full report, which can be found here, shows the contrast in performance by states where the Republicans are in charge measured against states where Democrats hold the reins of power. "Reviewing the accomplishments of state legislatures across the country reveals a clear pattern – that Republican legislatures are not only right on the issues voters care about most, they have also focused on issues that benefit their entire state's population," the RLCC said in a release accompanying the report.

"During legislative sessions this year, red states focused on education reform that benefits all children, cutting taxes to save money for all residents, and focusing on pro-growth regulatory reforms that benefit all businesses and their employees. In stark contrast lie the accomplishments of blue states, which focused only on narrow special interests critical to their political base," the group said.

While Washington is hide-bound and gridlocked, the GOP-led states, under the leadership of governors such as Wisconsin's Scott Walker, Ohio's John Kasich, Michigan's Rick Snyder, the aforementioned Perry, Rick Scott of Florida and others are showing that many of the problems facing the country are, in fact, neither intractable nor unsolvable. With 166 million people living in states where the GOP holds the governorship and united legislative control, the policy changes the Republicans are pushing show success to a majority of America – and that will impact how they vote in 2014, no matter what kind of scare campaign the Democrats mount.