Perry director addresses Johnson County Republicans

By Matt Smith/msmith@trcle.com

David White, director of Texans for Rick Perry, shared his reasons for supporting Gov. Rick Perry’s re-election campaign while addressing attendees at Tuesday’s meeting of the Johnson County Republican Women’s Club.

The first, White said, is the growth of the economy under Perry’s watch.

“In 2008, Texas created more jobs than all the other 49 states combined,” White said. “That’s incredible. And we’re on the way to having a $9 billion rainy day fund.”

The second involves the upcoming redistricting of federal congressional and state House and Senate districts after next year’s census.

Because of population growth, Texas is expected to pick up four to six new U.S. House seats, which is important, White said, because Texas remains largely Republican.

“It’s important, too, that in the state House, Republicans have a two-seat majority. That could easily go [Democratic]. Whoever has the majority and draws the redistricting lines is going to have control for the next 10 years.”

White praised Perry for rejecting the unemployment insurance portion of President Barack Obama’s stimulus package, something White said came with too many strings attached.

He discussed illegal immigration and a state voter identification bill, calling immigration the No. 1 issue among Texas Republican voters.

Closing the border to illegal immigration is difficult, White said, because the majority of Texas’ 1,200 mile border sits on privately owned land.

It’s also essential to staunch the flow of drug-cartel activity, he said.

“Gov. Perry’s view is to do it smarter,” White said. “Don’t shove a ton of money at the problem until you know it works.”

He said that $110 million dedicated to the problem in 2007 led to a 45 percent decrease of border crossings in areas focused upon and an equally drastic decrease in serious crime in those areas, White said.

White called the proposed voter identification law, which failed to pass during the last legislative session, a proposal 75 percent of Texans, Republican and Democrat, support.

Minority voting, White said, has actually increased in states where such measures have passed.

Citing traditionally low voter turnout, White urged his listeners to research the issues, pick a candidate, and urge 11 people to vote and tell 11 of their friends to vote.

White said he hoped all those people would support Perry, but said the JCRW should also invite someone from U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison’s organization to discuss her run for governor.

JCRW member Maryjane Brady asked White why he thought so many supported Hutchison given, according to Brady, Hutchison’s pro-choice stance.

The reason, White said, is that many are unaware of her views.

“This is going to be a tough race,” White said. “But as the governor gets out there and gets his message out, we see the gap closing.”

JCRW member Deborah Simpson urged those who attended to vote in, and tell their friends to vote in, the Nov. 3 state constitutional amendment election, which involves 11 proposed amendments.

“Most people don’t even know there’s an election going on Tuesday,” Simpson said. “So pass it on, and let’s get more people to vote.”

E-mails making the rounds that claim proposed amendments 2, 3, and 5 will result in a state tax on residents’ homesteads are false, said Verlie Edwards, chief of staff for state Rep. Rob Orr, R-Burleson.

The Texas Constitution prohibits a statewide property tax, Edwards said.