Anita Perry puts faith first publicly

Anita Perry puts faith first publicly
Houston Chronicle ^ | October 22, 2011 | Melissa Ludwig

Posted on 10/23/2011 7:06:36 AM PDT by casinva

Lady in waiting she is not.

Anita Perry, wife of Republican presidential hopeful and Texas Gov. Rick Perry, has taken a flying leap into the national spotlight in recent weeks, playing a more prominent role in her husband’s campaign than anyone can recall and speaking about her Christian faith in a way that resonates with evangelicals, but surprises old friends.

In nearly three decades as a political wife in Texas, Anita Perry earned a reputation for poise and privacy, not one to seek the limelight or talk much about religion. Her public statements last week that she pushed her husband into the presidential ring because she felt he was being called by God surprised Bill Miller, an Austin lobbyist who hired Anita Perry in the 1990s.

“I always viewed Anita as someone who took politics with a gigantic grain of salt,” Miller said. “She would rather go to a baseball game for her kid than an inaugural.”

But in this race, Anita Perry has stumped alongside her husband, anchoring some campaign events by herself and making headlines along the trail.

Perhaps a spiritual calling trumped any reservations she may have about the political game.

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“When we encounter trouble or pain, we need to remember that in that moment, he has promised us something more powerful,” Richard said.

Anita Perry hit that theme in her South Carolina speech, saying a man approached her husband and told him, “God is testing you because he wants you to know when you are in the White House how you got there.”