With the likes of Mike Huckabee, Mitch Daniels and Donald Trump announcing earlier in the month that they would not seek the Republican presidential nomination, Gov. Rick Perry of Texas opened the door perhaps for a run of his own.
Asked on Friday if he would consider running for the Republican nomination, Perry replied, Im going to think about it. He added that he would focus on it after the Texas Legislature leaves Austin sometime after Tuesday.
When reporters followed up asking Perry -- who had been issuing denials that he would enter the presidential race -- if he would change his mind, he said, I didnt say I was running, did I? Im going to think about it.
Elected lieutenant governor of the Lone Star State in 1998, Perry moved up to the top job when George W. Bush was sworn in as president after the 2000 election. Perry has faced three gubernatorial elections and prevailed -- most recently turning back a serious primary challenge from U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.
A sharp critic of the role of the federal government, Perry, a two-time head of the Republican Governors Association, said throughout 2010 that he was not interested in making a run for the presidency.
But while Perry may be kicking over a presidential bid, a poll commissioned by the Texas Tribune and taken by the University of Texas before he left the door open for 2012, shows little support in the Lone Star State for the governors possible White House ambitions.
Perry was slightly upside down in the poll -- with 41 percent total approval and 42 percent total disapproval -- and trailing some of the leaders in the Republican field.
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin had a slight lead with 12 percent, followed by former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia with 11 percent. Huckabee -- who slammed the door on the race while the poll was being taken -- tied for third with a favorite son, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, with 10 percent. Former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts and U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota took 7 percent -- followed by Trump, who also said he was not running, with 6 percent. Perry tied for eighth place with former Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota at 4 percent, followed by former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania with 3 percent.
The total poll of 800 registered Texas voters was takenMay 11-18 and had a margin of error of +/- 3.46 percent. The question on the GOP primary was asked of 388 registered Republican voters in Texas during the same time period, and had a margin of error of +/- 4.98 percent.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
