Sarah Palin Endorses Texas Governor Rick Perry in GOP Primary Race
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, left, shakes hands with Texas Gov. Rick Perry after he introduced her at the Republican Governors Association Annual Conference in Miami, Thursday, Nov. 13, 2008
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has endorsed Rick Perry for re-election, calling him the “true conservative” in a primary election showdown with fellow Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison.
Palin, who electrified the GOP base as the party’s vice presidential nominee last year, has strong support among the party’s social conservatives. Her endorsement appeared aimed at undercutting Hutchison’s appeal with GOP women. Both groups will be important in picking the party’s nominee in next year’s Republican primary.
In a letter to “Texas Republican women” distributed by the Perry campaign, Palin touts the Texas governor’s conservative credentials.
“He walks the walk of a true conservative. And he sticks by his guns – and you know how I feel about guns,” she said.
Palin cited one of the Perry campaign’s top issues – opposition to federal financial bailouts. And she singled out Perry’s opposition to abortion rights.
“Not every child is born into ideal circumstances, but every life is sacred,” Palin said in the mail appeal. “Rick Perry knows this – it is at the core of his being.”
Hutchison supports abortion rights, although with restrictions, including parental notification and a ban on certain late-term procedures.
The GOP primary draws a large number of social conservatives for whom abortion and gay marriage are litmus-test issues. And in recent weeks, Perry has made high-profile appeals to abortion opponents.
Is this endorsement all about abortion?
Probably not but Sarah Palin reinforces her social conservative CRED which she will need in early GOP Presidential primary contests in Iowa and South Carolina should she decide to run for President in 2012 or 2016. Palin has nothing to lose here since Perry is a conservative and is not afraid to run on it.
Flap remembers when Governor Perry called out California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger at his own California State GOP Convention.
Stay tuned as this primary race becomes another bitter primary intra-GOP brawl.
Technorati Tags: Rick Perry, Sarah Palin, Kay Bailey Hutchison
7 Comments
buffi
I have been a HUGE Kay BH fan for years. I was really anticipating her run against our Gov. “Good-Hair” for a long time. I knew that she leaned a little more to the center than I do, but overall, I was okay with her. I was shattered Friday with her SCHIP vote. I really am at a loss as to what to hope for now. This will get very ugly. *sigh*
Ling
Pretty good deal for Rick Perry, but I’m not so sure it helps Palin. Palin already has a lot of conservative support in the states. She needs some pull in Washington now, to counter the McCain people. Making an enemy out of Hutchison is not exactly a good way to start off.
Flap
Well, Hutchison would have to run for re-election the US Senate (if she wants to do so – some people have said she wants out of DC) in 2010, so there is no threat to Palin.
Hutchinson is 65 now and probably in her last race, win or lose.
Again, Palin has everything to gain here. No, downside – unless Perry loses – :o)
Texas Conservative
Hutchison is not even a conservative on social or fiscal issues, while Perry is one of the best Governors in America right now. Look at how Texas was the only state to add a substantial number of jobs in 2008– more than 150 thousand of them. Governor Perry is a true conservative and a good governor. He’s been a champion of ideas that Palin has been a champion of– greater accountability and transparency, more open and honest government, etc. Plus fiscal discipline. Plus being pro-life, pro-2nd amendment. I mean, it’s an easy endorsement, really, given that Hutchison has such a weak record.
Tx gal
I like Kay BH but I find her weak especially when debating issues, it seem she is afraid to speak up against anyone. I have been watching her in some talking issues on fox news and she lets the men kida step on her and she is pro choice and I’m not plus I like my second amendment right. I might need to shoot a wolf or two. So I will stick wit Gov Perry he has been good for Tx so far .
RobK
Well, some like the Liberal Tom Daschle supporter, RINO Kay Bailey Hutchinson, but most like our current Governor Rick Perry. I mean, c’mon, any lady who uses her maiden name publicly as her middle name, then tacks on her her married last name at the end, yep, is a Liberal. I voted for Kay Hutchinson in the election of 1993 only because she was the Republican on the ticket and I’ve been forced to vote for this RINO ever since. But, her middle name now needs to change to SCHIP because she is a HUGE supporter of back door Social Medicine. I’m not sure if she is just ingnorant, or if she really believes in all the Social programs she votes for in Washington. I advise Senator Kay Hutchinson live out her political career in the U.S. Senate because she’ll get her clock cleaned if she decides to run against the Conservative Rick Perry.
Helen Kunkleman
Sarah Palin is correct in her views of standing up for what is right and killing babies is not right. Sometimes standing up for the right way brings about strong oppostion, but right is right no matter what the opposition says or how much they attack a person with the opposite point of view. Why can’t the liberal person live by their own manifesto of “We all need to be more tolerant of one another”