Perry identifies with the GOP’s religious right and small town voters, the author writes. Translating Perry for non-Texans

Many years ago, I read a magazine article describing how the national press covered Texas like it is a foreign country — with little understanding of the state’s politics or politicians. Little has changed in the intervening years.

As someone who’s been involved in Texas politics for 40 years, I want to translate Rick Perry — as a governor and a candidate.


First, Perry has been a terrific candidate in his home state, though he is untested on the national stage. Meanwhile, his gubernatorial record is mixed — not the panacea of economic growth as portrayed.

Let’s start with Perry the campaigner. Two years ago, as his primary campaign for reelection against Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison was heating up, The New York Times Sunday Magazine ran a glowing profile of Hutchison as a thoughtful moderate, who had a real chance of defeating Perry — whom the paper portrayed as an out-of-touch hick.

Wrong. I remember telling friends that when Perry finished with Hutchison, there would be nothing left but a bomb crater. He ran a tough campaign against her, labeling her part of the Washington establishment and beating her handily. He then won reelection by a significant margin against a well-funded Democrat, former Houston Mayor Bill White.

Perry clearly knew how to appeal to the conservative electorate in Texas.

He is, however, untested on the national stage. The Texas media tends to be docile, and has rarely challenged Perry during his 10 years as governor — though he has said and done some outrageous things.

There will likely be a honeymoon stage with the national media when he enters the presidential race, but Perry will soon face intense scrutiny.

Perry demonstrated that he may not be ready for prime time with how he handled the gay marriage issue. First, Perry said that he didn’t have any problem with states like New York approving gay marriage — though he didn’t think it was appropriate for Texas. It was a state’s rights issue.

However, after getting strong pushback from the religious right community, Perry changed his position, saying he was in favor of a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage everywhere.

Also, there is the George W. Bush comparison. If you turn on your TV, close your eyes and listen to Perry — he sounds just like Bush. They both come from West Texas. Perry drops his g’s at the end of words, just like Bush, and even uses some of the same expressions. There is a serious question about whether the country is ready for another president from Texas so soon after Bush, though their politics are not identical. Perry may have to deal with Texas fatigue. Or stated differently, “No new Texans.”

In addition, Perry can identify with the GOP’s religious right and with rural and small town voters. The question remains how he will appeal to moderate suburban independents – the critical swing vote in a general election.

There is the his record as governor to examine. I remember another presidential candidate, Michael S. Dukakis, who ran on the “Massachusetts miracle” in 1988. It didn’t hold up for an entire campaign.

The Texas economy has been booming under Perry — but much of this has nothing to do with Perry’s record as governor. Texas does not have a state income tax, has weak labor laws and a plentiful supply of cheap immigrant labor – all reasons why companies have relocated to Texas and created jobs. The oil and gas business – central to the Texas economy – has also been flourishing. In short, Perry has been riding a wave other governors would die for.

Yet, the Texas economic record is uneven. The state still has unemployment higher than 8 percent, and many of the new jobs pay the minimum wage. Meanwhile, the state’s per student education expenditure is near the bottom in the nation. Perry has slashed education and social service spending in a way that is unhealthy for a prosperous state — and would not be acceptable in many parts of our country.

Perry is not to be underestimated as a smart, tough campaigner. But he may not survive national scrutiny.

No one should hand him the nomination or the election quite yet.

Martin Frost served in the House from Texas from 1979 to 2005 and was Democratic Caucus chairman and head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. He is now an attorney with Polsinelli Shughart.