Changes

|number=14th

|number=14th

|president=[[Donald Trump]]

|president=[[Donald Trump]]

|terms=March 2, 2017–

|terms=March 2, 2017 – December 1, 2019

|preceded=[[Ernest Moniz]]

|preceded=[[Ernest Moniz]]

|former=n

|former=n

|succeeded=

|succeeded=[[Dan Brouillette]]

}}

}}

{{Officeholder/governor

{{Officeholder/governor

|state=Texas

|state=Texas

|terms=December 21, 2000-January 20, 2015

|terms=December 21, 2000 – January 20, 2015

|preceded=[[George W. Bush]]

|preceded=[[George W. Bush]]

|succeeded=[[Greg Abbott]]

|succeeded=[[Greg Abbott]]

}}

}}

}}

}}

'''James Richard "Rick" Perry''' (born March 4, 1950) was the 14th [[United States Secretary of Energy]], serving under Republican President [[Donald Trump]]. Previously, he served under a variety of positions, most notably as the [[Republican]] Governor of [[Texas]] from December 21, 2000, when he succeeded then-Governor [[George W. Bush]], until January 20, 2015. He was elected to full four-year terms in 2002, 2006 and 2010, when he easily won an unprecedented third full term after defeating—by a wide margin—U.S. Senator [[Kay Bailey Hutchison]] in the GOP primary in March and then the [[Democratic]] former mayor of [[Houston, Texas|Houston]], Bill White, in the general election.  When he stepped down in 2014, Perry had the longest tenure of any Texas Governor.

'''James Richard "Rick" Perry''' (born March 4, 1950) was the 14th [[United States Secretary of Energy]], serving under Republican President [[Donald Trump]]. Previously, he served under a variety of positions, most notably as the [[Republican Party|Republican]] Governor of [[Texas]] from December 21, 2000, when he succeeded then-Governor [[George W. Bush]], until January 20, 2015. He was elected to full four-year terms in 2002, 2006 and 2010, when he easily won an unprecedented third full term after defeating—by a wide margin [[United States Senator]] [[Kay Bailey Hutchison]] in the GOP primary in March and then the [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] former [[mayor]] of [[Houston, Texas|Houston]], Bill White, in the general election.  When he stepped down in 2014, Perry had the longest tenure of any Texas Governor.

==Career==

==Career==

[[File:Rick Perry.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Perry as Texas Governor]]

[[File:Rick Perry.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Perry as Texas Governor]]

A native of rural Haskell, Texas, north of Abilene, Perry obtained a degree in animal science from [[Texas A&M University]] in College Station. He is a former Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives, having been first elected in 1984. He switched to Republican affiliation in 1989. The next year, he was elected Texas Agriculture Commissioner, having narrowly unseated the two-term populist Democrat Jim Hightower, a vocal supporter of [[Jesse Jackson]] in Texas. That position is now filled by the Republican [[Sid Miller]], a candidate for reelection in the general election on November 6, 2018. Perry won his first full term as governor in 2002, when he defeated the wealthy Laredo businessman A. R. "Tony" Sanchez by a three-to-two margin. He was reelected to another full term in 2006 with only 39 percent of the vote because the other 61 percent of the ballots were split among four rival general election candidates, including a former Republican state comptroller, Carole Strayhorn of [[Austin, Texas|Austin]], who ran as an independent.<ref>Texas law only requires a plurality, not a majority, to win the November general election in a partisan race.</ref>   

A native of rural Haskell, Texas, and a 1968 graduate of Paint Creek High School (both towns are north of Abilene), Perry obtained a degree in animal science from [[Texas A&M University]] in College Station. He is a former Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives, having been first elected in 1984. He switched to Republican affiliation in 1989. The next year, he was elected Texas Agriculture Commissioner, having narrowly unseated the two-term populist Democrat Jim Hightower, a vocal supporter of [[Jesse Jackson]] in Texas. That position is now filled by the Republican [[Sid Miller]], a candidate for reelection in the general election on November 6, 2018. Perry won his first full term as governor in 2002, when he defeated the wealthy Laredo businessman A. R. "Tony" Sanchez by a three-to-two margin. He was reelected to another full term in 2006 with only 39 percent of the vote because the other 61 percent of the ballots were split among other rival general election candidates, including a former Republican state comptroller, Carole Strayhorn of [[Austin, Texas|Austin]] (Perry's rival who ran as an independent) and legendary Texas musician Kinky Friedman.<ref>Texas law only requires a plurality, not a majority, to win the November general election in the Governor's race.</ref>   

Perry's brother-in-law, the brother of [[Anita Thigpen Perry]], is Joseph E. Thigpen (born ca. 1946), a former district attorney and county attorney in West Texas. In 1994, Perry, reelected as the agriculture commissioner, asked incoming Republican Governor [[George W. Bush]] to name Joseph Thigpen to a vacancy on the state appeals court in Eastland County, Texas. Acting on a check into Thigpen's record by political advisor [[Karl Rove]], Bush declined to appoint Thigpen to the bench. As a county attorney, Thigpen had been criticized for not being available when the commissioner's court needed his counsel. In 1998, Rick Perry became lieutenant governor in the second George W. Bush gubernatorial term. The Thigpen appointment controversy has been mentioned as a possible cause of a potential breach between Governors Bush and Perry.<ref>Will Weissert, "Perry-Bush camps still feel old dispute", ''Laredo Morning Times'', September 19, 2011, p. 8A</ref>

Perry's brother-in-law, the brother of [[Anita Thigpen Perry]], is Joseph E. Thigpen (born ca. 1946), a former district attorney and county attorney in West Texas. In 1994, Perry, reelected as the agriculture commissioner, asked incoming Republican Governor [[George W. Bush]] to name Joseph Thigpen to a vacancy on the state appeals court in Eastland County, Texas. Acting on a check into Thigpen's record by political advisor [[Karl Rove]], Bush declined to appoint Thigpen to the bench. As a county attorney, Thigpen had been criticized for not being available when the commissioner's court needed his counsel. In 1998, Rick Perry became lieutenant governor in the second George W. Bush gubernatorial term. The Thigpen appointment controversy has been mentioned as a possible cause of a potential breach between Governors Bush and Perry.<ref>Will Weissert, "Perry-Bush camps still feel old dispute", ''Laredo Morning Times'', September 19, 2011, p. 8A</ref>

In August 2011, Perry entered the [[presidential election 2012|2012 race for President]]. Perry dropped out of the race in January 2012 and supported [[Newt Gingrich]].

In August 2011, Perry entered the [[presidential election 2012|2012 race for President]]. Perry dropped out of the race in January 2012 and supported [[Newt Gingrich]].

Perry unsuccessfully ran for the Republican nomination in the [[2016 presidential election]].<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/06/04/former-texas-gov-rick-perry-to-join-2016-gop-field/</ref>

Perry unsuccessfully ran for the Republican nomination in the [[2016 presidential election]].<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/06/04/former-texas-gov-rick-perry-to-join-2016-gop-field/</ref> He announced his withdrawal from the presidential race in September 2015 during a speech at the annual conference held by [[Phyllis Schlafly]].

==Controversies==

==Controversies==

His key positions include rejection of the theory of man-made [[global warming]], equal time for [[creationism]] and [[evolution]] in schools, pro-[[Second Amendment]], skepticism about the sustainability and constitutionality of [[Social Security]], and [[pro-life]] with exceptions, although he ended up opposing exceptions for rape and incest. Perry supports [[death penalty]] and the decriminalization of [[marijuana]].<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/01/23/rick-perry-urges-move-toward-marijuana-decriminalization/?tid=pm_politics_pop]</ref> He supports educating the children of [[illegal aliens]].<ref>http://cnsnews.com/news/article/rick-perry-those-against-state-tuition-illegal-aliens-dont-have-heart</ref> Perry made a pledge to oppose [[same-sex marriage]].<ref>http://cnsnews.com/news/article/perry-signs-pledge-opposing-gay-marriage</ref>

His key positions include rejection of the theory of man-made [[global warming]], equal time for [[creationism]] and [[evolution]] in schools, pro-[[Second Amendment]], skepticism about the sustainability and constitutionality of [[Social Security]], and [[pro-life]] with exceptions, although he ended up opposing exceptions for rape and incest. Perry supports [[death penalty]] and the decriminalization of [[marijuana]].<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/01/23/rick-perry-urges-move-toward-marijuana-decriminalization/?tid=pm_politics_pop]</ref> He supports educating the children of [[illegal aliens]].<ref>http://cnsnews.com/news/article/rick-perry-those-against-state-tuition-illegal-aliens-dont-have-heart</ref> Perry made a pledge to oppose [[same-sex marriage]].<ref>http://cnsnews.com/news/article/perry-signs-pledge-opposing-gay-marriage</ref>

=== Foreign Policy ===

=== Foreign policy ===

After his statement that [[Turkey]] is ruled by Islamist terrorists, [[NATO]] criticized him.<ref>http://www.nato.int/cps/en/SID-5D8C28F1-AD467F93/natolive/opinions_83444.htm?selectedLocale=en</ref> During the [[Syrian Civil War]] Perry supported a No-Fly Zone.<ref>http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/rick-perry-calls-for-syria-no-fly-zone/</ref> He is a strong defender of [[Israel]].

After his statement that [[Turkey]] is ruled by Islamist terrorists, [[NATO]] criticized him.<ref>http://www.nato.int/cps/en/SID-5D8C28F1-AD467F93/natolive/opinions_83444.htm?selectedLocale=en</ref> During the [[Syrian Civil War]] Perry supported a No-Fly Zone.<ref>http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/rick-perry-calls-for-syria-no-fly-zone/</ref> He is a strong defender of [[Israel]].

== References ==

== References ==

==External links==

==External links==

[[Category:Republican Governors]]

[[Category:Republican Governors]]

[[Category:Texas Governors]]

[[Category:Texas Governors]]

[[Category:2010 Midterm Elections]]

[[Category:2010 Midterm Elections]]

[[Category:Conservatives]]

[[Category:Conservatives]]

[[Category:The 100 Americans The Left Hates Most]]

[[Category:The 100 Americans The Left Hates Most]]