Perry makes voice heard in Texas Senate race
May 21st, 2012
11:08 AM ET
11 years ago

Perry makes voice heard in Texas Senate race

(CNN) - Texas Gov. Rick Perry cut a TV new ad backing Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst in his campaign for U.S. Senate, a little more than a week ahead of the Lone Star State's Republican primary.

"We have a lot to be proud of," the former presidential candidate said in the ad released Monday. "That's why I'm proud to endorse David Dewhurst."

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Perry first officially endorsed Dewhurst in April. The Senate candidate has served as Perry's right-hand man in Austin for nearly ten years and stumped for the governor during his unsuccessful presidential campaign.

Like many GOP Senate primaries this cycle, the race in Texas has shaped into a contest between a candidate with establishment support-Dewhurst-and a tea party favored contender with backing from national conservative groups-Ted Cruz.

In the polls, however, Dewhurst has long remained ahead of his rivals, including Cruz, and his campaign has fought hard to boost the lieutenant governor's conservative credentials against a tsunami of attack ads.

"David's the one candidate best prepared to make conservative change happen in Washington," Perry said in the ad. "Don't let anyone tell you different."

While Dewhurst has seen larger fundraising hauls than Cruz, his opponent has attracted national attention and significant spending from independent groups on his behalf.

FreedomWorks, a conservative grassroots organization, said it has dropped $150,000 into the race on get-out-the-vote efforts, while the fiscal group Club for Growth said it has spent a whopping $2 million, in addition to bundling $750,000 from its members directly into Cruz's campaign.

Perry's ad came after Sarah Palin threw her voice into the race. She endorsed Cruz earlier this month in a nod that the campaign credits with sparking a "huge surge."

Early voting has already started in Texas, with the final contest date set for May 29. Dewhurst would need to win 50% of the vote in order to avoid a run-off primary this summer.

Former Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert and ESPN broadcaster Craig James are also running for the seat, soon to be vacated by retiring Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.

Also see:

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Gingrich is millions in the hole

Boehner and Pelosi say they feel good heading into November

Axelrod: Fund-raising pitch cited Wright threat to combat super PACs


Filed under: 2012 • Rick Perry • Senate • Texas
soundoff (85 Responses)
  1. November

    ok. so I'm a in a race and I HAVE to take an endorsement from Palin or an endorsement from Perry. Wow. Do I offend the people who hate idiots or... wait what is my choice again?

    May 21, 2012 04:17 pm at 4:17 pm |
  2. jack

    I am suprised that he could remember Dewhurst's name, although remembering one name is much easier than having to remember three. And the other wiz bang can not remember what she reads (does she know how?) Is this some kind of a trick article?

    May 21, 2012 04:30 pm at 4:30 pm |
  3. carlos

    corrupt texan republicans will be rejected by the people with clear view and vote for DEMOCRAT, let us rid texas of slimers and cheaters.

    May 21, 2012 04:34 pm at 4:34 pm |
  4. Vader

    Interesting....

    Perry pandered to the Tea Party during his ill-fated, ill-advised run for the Republican nomination, yet now his hand-picked boy is being slammed by the same group as he runs for the Senate. And even funnier, all the Perry ads supporting Dewhurst keep talking about "Washington interests" attacking the poor Lite Governor. So when has the Tea Party suddenly been considered a "Washington interest"? Thought they were the consummate outsiders?

    THEY EAT THEIR OWN!!!!

    May 21, 2012 04:39 pm at 4:39 pm |
  5. robert frost

    Dumb & Dumber

    May 21, 2012 05:00 pm at 5:00 pm |
  6. Witten

    We have three good options on the GOP side and one of them will be our Senator. Craig James would be lucky to be elected dog catcher in any county in Texas and will get about as many votes at the Democrat in the general election. Very few.

    May 21, 2012 05:08 pm at 5:08 pm |
  7. Beadles

    I loved the comment "Dumb & Dumber." But, I still can't get my head around the fact that an endorsement by Sarah Palin has standing in Texas. Why would they care? Texans think Texas is the be all and end all.

    May 21, 2012 05:11 pm at 5:11 pm |
  8. Oliver

    This is pretty hilarious. Its like twiddle dee and twiddle dumb endorsing a candidate for senate. I think if either Palin or Perry gave me an endorsement, I would take a serious look at my own IQ.

    May 21, 2012 05:14 pm at 5:14 pm |
  9. Anonymous

    Myviewis

    I see you guys are talking about Romney cutting a kid's hair but I don't see where you guys are talking about Obama pushing the little girl Coretta down to the ground, Obama talked about it in his book Dreams from My Father.
    ========================

    You see, this is why your party's talking points are never believable. You are going to have to post the link to your version of this story. The little girl wasn't pushed to the ground, she was given a "slight" push. Either way, it really doesn't matter, does it? Obama spoke of the incident himself, and his regret, unlike Romney whose memory - while older than Barack was at the time - is a bit more ... vague.

    May 21, 2012 05:14 pm at 5:14 pm |
  10. smeat

    Wow- check out all the makeup! He must be trying to look more like people he's trying to get to vote for him, but who likely won't... no matter how much Spanish he speaks.

    May 21, 2012 05:16 pm at 5:16 pm |
  11. PTBarnumboy

    Perry versus Palin!!!??? At least a battle of wits between these two shouldn't last long.

    May 21, 2012 05:23 pm at 5:23 pm |
  12. Jason

    Republicans: Rekindling the belief of mankind in "Evil"

    May 21, 2012 05:25 pm at 5:25 pm |
  13. Really?

    Sorry to say that many Texans will vote for Cruz because it's Spanish. The same people who voted for Bush because "he was from Texas." We tend to believe lies in Texas. Cruz is not good for the middle class and poor in Texas. No republican or tea partier is good for Texas either. But, alas, we are outnumbered. It's like swimming up stream.

    May 21, 2012 05:37 pm at 5:37 pm |
  14. gg

    hope he gets VP spot

    May 21, 2012 05:48 pm at 5:48 pm |
  15. haha

    Bingo meets Bimbo

    May 21, 2012 05:59 pm at 5:59 pm |
  16. Jeff in TX

    Dewhurst is a Perry lickspittle. MOTS. Not that I'd consider anyone endorsed by Sarah Palin. Perry's voice will carry this after all. Even in TX, compared to Perry, Palin barely registers. It's absurd to be thinking this way, but that's TX politics these days.

    May 21, 2012 06:00 pm at 6:00 pm |
  17. Marie MD

    dumb and dumber of politics!

    May 21, 2012 06:11 pm at 6:11 pm |
  18. nintex

    Before everyone starts knocking Texans, let me say that there are a lot of smart people here. Of course, we're all Democrats. We're totally embarrassed by Perry and his cronies and are working hard to turn Texas around. I am going to have a T-shirt made that says "Sarah Palin made me do it. . . . (work for the Democratic party that is).

    May 21, 2012 06:14 pm at 6:14 pm |
  19. Carol

    A nod from Palin or Perry is a joke!

    May 21, 2012 06:15 pm at 6:15 pm |
  20. OldeWhyteMann

    I live in Texas. Dewhurst and his republican cronies have sold us all out to Big Business! ESPECIALLY to Oil & Gas companies.Please, everybody in Texas THINK about who you are voting for and what their motivation is!! Thank You.

    May 21, 2012 06:18 pm at 6:18 pm |
  21. Bootstomper

    Forget Craig James, Vote Rick James. Shes super freaky.

    May 21, 2012 06:31 pm at 6:31 pm |
  22. Large Marge

    Why is it that only really old people who are usually disconnected from the lives of those under 35 vote? If even half of the 35 and under crowd voted, we wouldn't see such xenophobic, backwards, Xtian based politics. Has anyone been to the capitol of Texas? Its fantastic, and for the most part devoid of the idiots like perry and his talking snake crew. Its astounding that such an awesome state is ran by such a terribly stupid group of people, who: make energy policy decisions without taking university level thermodynamics, implement water and environmental policies developed before modern ecology/hydrology, purposefully obsfuscate voting processes and procedures, and above all just aren't very keen on world events outside their sunday service. Not to toot my own horn, but come on kids, anyone out there picked up a science book lately? The earth is not special and yes the universe is 10^18 seconds old. No joke. Just go find your nearest physicist and interrogate them, we have soooo much potential in this country to do wonderful things for ourselves, the world, and the future. If the money spent on campaigning against these old establishment-types could be spent instead on biomedical/space/energy/insert field of research then wow we'd be really great. TELL YOUR KIDS TO GET OFF OF FACE BOOK AND XBOX LIVE AND READ A SCIENCE BOOK!!!!!!! All of the iphones and flat screens didn't just happen, they have spun out of a multitude of massive, sometimes desultory research endeavors, powered by great Americans who weren't afraid of the future.

    May 21, 2012 06:32 pm at 6:32 pm |
  23. ropers49

    Dewhurst's biggest detractor is Perry himself. People in Texas are tired of Perry and his good ole boy network.

    May 21, 2012 06:34 pm at 6:34 pm |
  24. Bonnie

    Both candidates have a very strong chance of winning....50% vs 50%.

    May 21, 2012 06:42 pm at 6:42 pm |
  25. larry

    Between the two of them not an ounce of brains.

    May 21, 2012 06:51 pm at 6:51 pm |
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