Perry to head straight to South Carolina after Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa (CNN) - When Texas Gov. Rick Perry leaves the Hawkeye State after Tuesday's caucuses, he's heading straight to South Carolina instead of New Hampshire.
The Perry GOP presidential campaign says the Texas governor will meet and greet voters in the Palmetto State on Wednesday. A release from Perry's campaign in South Carolina said he will make appearances in Aiken and North Augusta on January 4. Perry's national campaign also said he will visit the conservative stronghold of Greenville the same day.
The national campaign also says Perry will be in New Hampshire next weekend to participate in two scheduled Republican presidential debates.
New Hampshire holds the second contest in the primary and caucus season, with its primary coming one week after Iowa's caucuses. South Carolina comes third in the calendar, holding the first southern contest. It's January 21 primary comes 11 days after the Granite State's primary.
For candidates like Perry, former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, and Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, spending time next week in South Carolina rather than New Hampshire seems like a smart strategy.
Rival candidate Mitt Romney, who was governor of neighboring Massachusetts, is the overwhelming front-runner in the most recent polls of likely New Hampshire primary voters. It's a different story in South Carolina, where older polling indicated Gingrich was the front-runner. And South Carolina Republicans are closer in nature to those in Iowa, where socially conservative voters predominate.
In New Hampshire, fiscal conservatives are more influential, as are independent voters, who tend to play an important role in that state's primary results.
–CNN Political Producer Rachel Streitfeld contributed to this report
From CNN Politics
- Trump attorney appears before grand jury in Mar-a-Lago classified documents probe
- 10 Cards Charging 0% Interest Until 2024
- Judge says several Trump aides, including former chief of staff, must testify to Jan. 6 grand jury
- Harris hires Stephanie Young to be senior adviser
- Michele Bachmann Fast Facts
- Untitled
Thanks for the warning!! We don't already have enough Rep. jerks in our state.
Perry should do well in the backwoods of South Carolina. Those folks will fall for a smooth Texan double-talker every time.
I know where this texan should go next and it is not South Carolina!
Go west young hypocrite, go west, not east!
obama signs away Americans Freedoms, time for rebellion against the Faciat and Marxist DC Elites, Start the movement to rebellion today.
If the Texas scarecrow only had a brain. He couldn't remember the name of the government agency he wanted to cut.
This is a wise move for Governor Perry. The recent National Review assessment of Newt Gingrich's candidacy may have a slight impact in South Carolina. It should! Perry must emphasize that he is the most electable Republican. This is contrary to what a lot of polls are saying, to be sure. However, in the most likely "red" states, it's true. Bachmann is like a "pit bulldog." She is stubborn and has ultimately hurt the conservative cause. Santorum is a fine man and has presented a good case. But, as NR points out, his "lack of executive experience" hurts him! This would be an excellent time for Bachmann and Santorum to unify behind Perry. If they do, it is likely that Gingrich and Herman Cain will do the same. Don't look now, but a potential Perry Cabinet may be emerging! On a more realistic note, Perry is the Republicans' best choice because he connects with three key groups: (a) "Blue collar" Democrats, (b) Hispanics and (c) Evangelicals. While Santorum and Bachmann might do well and "a" and "c", they are not there with "b". Neither are any of the rest of the Republican candidates.
Fair warning to the residents of South Carolina. Count the silverware, and the good china.
I could tell him where to head straight to - yep, you guessed it.
How can he be Governor ?
Houston Texas has the highest rate of Medicare and Medicaid fraud in the country !
The highest high school drop out rate in the country .
And he wants to be President . Sorry Rick your not the guy for the job .
Rick should go straight back to Texas. No need to go to SC. He's basically finished.
you mean Perry is not going to return to the site of his famous speech where he looked like he was drunk as a skunk? He said that the folks in NH welcomed him up there with open arms. I guess those arms have closed since then.
Keep going south, it is time to put the ass back in Texass!
Good strategy for this group of conservative zealots. None will do well in NH. Alot of religious kooks in SC. Hopefully, this group will just knock each other out of the race as they fight to split the Christian Conservative vote.
Why even bother??????
It seems that many of the GOP candidates can't stand the questions people in the Northeast ask. That is why they retreat to the South where they ask softballs!
LMAO – Was this planned or PerryWinkle forgot that NH was next??
Obama 2012 – Happy New Year!!!
How about heading straight to Texas instead.
Perry should be convinced to go straight down south-west not south-east!