Texas governor Rick Perry broke through as a serious presidential hopeful Friday with a spirited speech to a cheering crowd at the Conservative Political Action Conference.
Perry brought the audience to its feet with a call to bring the successful conservative policies of red state governors to the national level.
Perry took jabs at targets including New York, California, and the Department of Education, noting that common-sense governance has been absent not only from blue states but from Washington, D.C.
“It’s time for a little rebellion on the battlefield of ideas,” the Texas governor said, paraphrasing Thomas Jefferson.
“We don’t have to accept recent history — we just need to change the presidency,” Perry continued. “We must elect the right kind of leaders to represent us to Washington.”
While left-leaning states face worsening economies, Perry pointed to the progress in Republican-led states such as South Carolina, Louisiana, Wisconsin, and Florida.
“Let’s take a red state. Shoot, let’s take Texas,” Perry said to cheers and laughter. [Source]