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'''James Richard "Rick" Perry''' (b. 1950) has served as the [[Republican]] Governor of [[Texas]] since December 2000, when he succeeded then-Governor [[George W. Bush]] and was elected to full four-year terms in 2002 and 2006. He easily won an unprecedented third term in November 2010, after defeating by a wide margin the [[RINO]] Senator [[Kay Bailey Hutchison]] in the GOP primary in March.

'''James Richard "Rick" Perry''' (b. 1950) has served as the [[Republican]] Governor of [[Texas]] since December 2000, when he succeeded then-Governor [[George W. Bush]] and was elected to full four-year terms in 2002 and 2006. He easily won an unprecedented third term in November 2010, after defeating by a wide margin the [[RINO]] Senator [[Kay Bailey Hutchison]] in the GOP primary in March.

In August 2011, Perry entered the [[presidential election 2012|2012 race for President]].  His key positions include rejection of the theory of man-made [[global warming]], equal time for [[creationism]] and [[evolution]] in schools, pro-[[Second Amendment]], and [[pro-life]] with exceptions.

In August 2011, Perry entered the [[presidential election 2012|2012 race for President]].  His key positions include rejection of the theory of man-made [[global warming]], equal time for [[creationism]] and [[evolution]] in schools, pro-[[Second Amendment]], and [[pro-life]] with exceptions.

 

==Career==

==Career==

A former Democratic state legislator who became a Republican in 1989, Perry was elected to a full term as governor in 2002, which he served, and then reelected to another full term in 2006 with only 39 percent of the vote.  Previously he served as the agriculture commissioner (1991-1999), reflecting his background as a college graduate with a degree in animal science.

A former Democratic state legislator who became a Republican in 1989, Perry was elected to a full term as governor in 2002, which he served, and then reelected to another full term in 2006 with only 39 percent of the vote.  Previously he served as the agriculture commissioner (1991-1999), reflecting his background as a college graduate with a degree in animal science.

House Bill 2006 would have added protections to property owners facing eminent domain proceedings and it was vetoed.

House Bill 2006 would have added protections to property owners facing eminent domain proceedings and it was vetoed.

 

In 2009, Perry drew fire for numerous statements that suggested Texas' legal right to secede from the union if it wanted to, a long-discredited legal interpretation which was the main argument of the terrorist [[Republic of Texas]] movement.<ref>[http://www.statesman.com/news/content/region/legislature/stories/04/17/0417gop.html "Governor says Texas is one state that could leave union, though he's not pushing it"]</ref> While such statements were viewed with favor by the Texas Republican party and helped him win the 2010 gubernatorial election, it is unclear whether they will come back to haunt his 2012 election prospects.

In 2009, Perry drew fire for numerous statements that suggested Texas' legal right to secede from the union if it wanted to, a long-discredited legal interpretation which was the main argument of the terrorist [[Republic of Texas]] movement.<ref>[http://www.statesman.com/news/content/region/legislature/stories/04/17/0417gop.html "Governor says Texas is one state that could leave union, though he's not pushing it"]</ref> While such statements were viewed with favor by the Texas Republican party and helped him win the 2010 gubernatorial election, it is unclear whether they will come back to haunt his 2012 election prospects.

His prayer rally scheduled for August 5, 2011 has been strongly attacked by the left as a violation of the so called "separation of church and state," which is actually a liberal misreading of the constitution<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/06/opinion/how-to-respond-to-rick-perrys-response.html?src=un&feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fjson8.nytimes.com%2Fpages%2Fopinion%2Findex.jsonp "How to respond to Rick Perry's 'Response'"]</ref> True, however, is that Perry's tithing and charitable giving combined make up a paltry 0.5% of his salary, as investigative reporting by the Houston Chronicle has shown.<ref>[http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/religion/new/7607414.html "Perry puts faith on display but offers little for collection plate"]</ref> His office's response to this story was "he refuses to talk about his faith."

His prayer rally scheduled for August 5, 2011 has been strongly attacked by the left as a violation of the so called "separation of church and state," which is actually a liberal misreading of the constitution<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/06/opinion/how-to-respond-to-rick-perrys-response.html?src=un&feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fjson8.nytimes.com%2Fpages%2Fopinion%2Findex.jsonp "How to respond to Rick Perry's 'Response'"]</ref> True, however, is that Perry's tithing and charitable giving combined make up a paltry 0.5% of his salary, as investigative reporting by the Houston Chronicle has shown.<ref>[http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/religion/new/7607414.html "Perry puts faith on display but offers little for collection plate"]</ref> His office's response to this story was "he refuses to talk about his faith."