Charleston, South Carolina (CNN) - Trailing in the polls, Rick Perry's campaign is sending a new mailer to South Carolina voters hitting his two main rivals for the conservative vote, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum, as "Washington insiders."
The mailer is one of several that the Perry campaign is sending to South Carolina voters on Wednesday, just three days before the January
21 primary.
Tune in Thursday at 8 p.m. ET for the CNN/Southern Republican Presidential Debate hosted by John King and follow it on Twitter at #CNNDebate. For real-time coverage of the South Carolina primary, go to CNNPolitics.com or to the CNN apps or CNN mobile web site.
– Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @PoliticalTicker
Another hard-edged piece hitting mailboxes highlights Perry's service in the military and contrasts his resume with Barack Obama's, questioning the president's patriotism.
"Some choose community organizing as their profession," reads the text, laid over an ominous picture of Obama. "Others choose to serve their country."
Perry's message against Gingrich and Santorum, meanwhile, is that neither can be trusted to bring conservative ideals to the Oval Office.
Echoing Perry's message on the stump, the mailer calls Perry a "conservative of conviction, not of convenience."
Gingrich is then criticized for trying to make "a quick buck" off of the "government sponsored enterprise" Freddie Mac. (The former House Speaker's consulting company earned $1.6 in fees from working with the federally backed mortgage giant before the national housing market collapsed.)
The mailing also blasts Santorum, a former Pennsylvania senator, for endorsing his then-colleague Arlen Specter's 2004 re-election bid.
Santorum, the mailer claims, "sold out his conservative principles" to back a "liberal Senator" who helped pass President Barack Obama's health care reform law.
"Don't waste your vote on big government and Washington insiders," reads the two-sided postcard, which was provided to CNN by a Republican source.
Also see:
Christie to Romney: release tax info 'sooner rather than later'
Perry defends controversial comment on Turkey
Desperate poll numbers call for desperate measures..... I'm really looking forward to Perry dropping out of the race after he comes in last in SC. This guy has really toasted his chances of ever winning anything beyond Texas.
Does it really matter what Perry says anymore? The whole world knows he's an idiot and it won't be long before the idiots who voted for him can have him back.
Rick Perry is out his mind. We need to question his patriotism and his sanity.
"This guy has really toasted his chances of ever winning anything beyond Texas." Exactly.
Ihaven't heard yet. did perry serve the same as bush or did he actually do something that warrants recognition?
I question Perry's patriotism. He has been bad for Texas, and would be bad for the whole country if he could get the chance.
If by "conservative ideals" Perry means self-righteous, religion-based, interference in peoples' lives, that's the last thing we need the Oval Office.
Rick Perry is one of the ugliest people in the world, and I say that based on his soul not his appearance.
I like how Perry is fighting for his chances to get back into the race again. He ought to stick things through to Florida, maybe something will turn up down there.
So Rick, no complaining about Newt's non-service or Rick's? Or how about Mittens? What a joke you are. Go back to your third world country (Texas) and whittle on the porch
This mailing is coming from a guy who said he would send the troops right back into Iraq. Yeah Perry, please continue to make a fool of yourself along with the rest of the GOP field.
OMG I cannot believe he actually won uncontested in TX... have to wonder about the residents down there. As far as his comments ALL of them.. he needs to have his mouth sewed shut!!!!
And Perry just keeps walking through that field of cowpies barefoot.
Time to go home Rick. Time to go home.
Someone please remind me who is Rick Perry again?
Come on, disagree with the President if you want, but he was a Community Organizer for two years between undergrad and law school. It was NOT a career. Plus, what's wrong with it, it's a profession that helps those who had fallen on hard time, seems pretty Christian to me (Jesus was a community organizer too). But its one of those code words the right is so fond of to scare people – Community organizer, Chicago politics, union thug, sharia law, muslin, terrorist.....
yeah Rick Perry already has said he would send troops BACK to Iraq if he were president. And since he had little problem with the Marine "pee" video not taking into account what REVENGE that may bring to other troops over there makes me wonder who is the most patriotic. For a person that is supposed to be "born again Christian' Perry sure can tell some whoppers.
Pres. Obama gets rid of Osama bin Laden, saves the Big Three automakers and countless jobs from oblivion. This is non-patriotic?! Downright shameful to say something like this. Don't folks down there in Texas have any civility and manners?
Someone please give Perry a Map with directions how to get back to Texas.
How can anyone support this fool?
These fools are unbelievable. Try something else. This is the same BS that Sarah Palin used. Perry is too dumd to run anything. He will not be governor of Texas ever again.
I didn't see much truth in what was presented by Perry but when has that mattered with any of the GOP candidates?
Perry is the poster child for everything wrong with the Republican party. He's like a republican Frankenstein monster. He has the face of Bush, the hair of Reagan, the skin of Boehner, and the brain of Palin.
He's desperate and clueless. That's not quite what I want from my president.
Big surprise that Perry would hit Obama on a contrived issue as he can't compete based on knowledge or critical thinking skills.
And some choose to take out bin Laden, the most wanted criminal ever, without loss of American lives. Perry would do well to keep this argument to himself as this dog won't hunt. Maybe you could use it agaiinst your fellow contenders for the GOP nomination, but with the president's record, you look even more stupid making this argument.
PLEASE Mr Perry , stay in the race ! America needs the laughs.