Rick Perry (R)
Rick Perry has served as the Governor of Texas since 2000. He graduated from Texas A&M in 1972, and served in the Air Force from 1972-1977. Before becoming governor, he was a member of the Texas House of Representatives, Texas Agriculture Commissioner, and Lieutenant Governor of Texas.
Candidate Videos
Latest Statements
Rick Perry has suspended his bid for the Presidency.
As the GOP candidates hit the airwaves, the Washington Post has noticed a common theme in some of the ads: Sparks. Several of these ads focus on the themes of jobs, specifically manufacturing jobs. Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry, and Mitt Romney all feature factory floors, with showers of sparks shooting across the screen.
We hope that these candidates go beyond the visuals and present clear, detailed plans to support domestic manufacturing jobs.
Gov. Rick Perry and Rep. Michele Bachmann want the United States to take inspiration from China’s economic model. As the Campaign for America’s Future reported:
Rick Perry warned that China, with an economy that's thriving largely because it's got the manufacturing sector we used to have, risks ending up "on the ash heap of history."
On the other hand, Michelle Bachmann extolled China success as an example of the kind of capitalism we should be practicing. (Again, if we had the manufacturing sector that China has — you know, the one we used to have...)
Check out the entire article and videos here.
Rick Perry participated in the Republican Presidential Forum on Manufacturing in Pella, Iowa yesterday. However, Perry did not make any mention of the word “manufacturing” or manufacturing jobs.
Watch the whole video here.
Today at U.S. Steel's Mon Valley Irvin Plant in Pittsburgh, PA, Texas Governor Rick Perry delivered a speech on his plan to “energize American jobs,” which he believes will boost U.S. manufacturing:
“My plan will create jobs in every sector, revitalize manufacturing, and contain the cost of electricity and fuel through four concrete actions. The face of manufacturing in industrial states has changed rapidly.
Natural gas exploration is a game-changer that can bring new opportunities to replace the ones that have been lost. Development of natural gas will create jobs in the supply chain and lead to lower energy costs for manufacturers. Western Pennsylvania is known for producing great quarterbacks I want Western Pennsylvania to Quarterback a new energy revolution that creates jobs all across America.”
In last night’s CNN/Tea Party Debate, Texas governor Rick Perry supported regulatory reform and government cuts to increase job growth:
You give people the opportunity to risk their capital by lowering the tax burden on them, by lowering the regulatory climate, and you will see an American economy that takes off like a rocket ship.
And that's what we need to be focusing on in this country, freeing up the small businessmen and women to do what they know how to do, which is risk their capital and give them half a chance to have an opportunity to have a return on that investment, and they will go risk their capital. That's what the president of the United States needs to do: Quit the spending. Give clear regulatory relief and reform the tax code.
Eight candidates for the Republican Presidential nomination faced off against each other last night at the Ronald Reagan Library in California. During the 1-hour, 45-minute debate, the candidates all spoke about the need to create jobs and attacked President Obama for failing to do more on that front.
However, not a single candidate made mention of manufacturing jobs. In fact, the debate transcript reveals that there was not a single mention of the word “manufacturing.” The closest any of the candidates got to this topic was when Jon Huntsman was asked if he agreed with Mitt Romney’s plan to label China a currency manipulator. His weak response, which we’ve included below, was not what we should expect from the candidate who wants to be seen as the intellectual alternative:
Q: Governor Huntsman, as you know, Governor Romney's new economic plan calls for the U.S. government to officially label China a currency manipulator, But "The Wall Street Journal" editorial page says such a move would cause a trade war, perhaps.
You're a former ambassador to China. You have served four U.S. presidents. In your view, what does Governor Romney not get about China?
HUNTSMAN: He doesn't get the part that what will fix the U.S- China relationship, realistically, is fixing our core right here at home, because our core is weak, and it is broken, and we have no leverage at the negotiating table.
And I'd have to say, Mitt, now is not the time in a recession to enter a trade war. Ronald Reagan flew this plane. I was in China during the trip in 1984. He went on TV, he spoke to the Chinese people -- I'd love to do that too, in Chinese itself -- and he talked in optimistic, glowing terms.
And it reminds me about this, Ryan, we are the most blue sky, optimistic people on earth. We're going to find solutions, and I have an offer for the two great governors over here.
And I hate to rain on the parade of the Lone Star governor, but as governor of Utah, we were the number one job creator in this country during my years of service. That was 5.9 percent when you were creating jobs at 4.9 percent.
And to my good friend, Mitt, 47 just ain't going to cut it, my friend, not when you can be first. We've got to remember, that to beat President Obama, we have to have somebody who's been in the private sector, understands the fragility of the free market system, has been a successful governor as it relates to job creation, and knows something about this world.
I've lived overseas four times, I've been an ambassador to my country three times, I think I understand that.
The American people are angry at Washington for not doing enough to create jobs. Anybody who wants to run the country needs to listen to what the people want: jobs, jobs, jobs.
Read the transcript here.
