Sharp and Perry were at TX A&M together, with history as friends, competitors, "enemies" and now friends again.
Rick Perry started as a Democrat in West Texas (that was THE only party). He served in the Texas legislature - was known as one of the "pit bulls," conservative members who sat in the lower pit of the House Appropriations Committee and bitterly fought spending increases.
Perry changed parties in 1989, joining Phil Gramm and other conservative Texas Democrats, who now had a true ideological party with a burgeoning Texas GOP.
When Perry campaigned for Lt. Gov. [1998], he and his campagin staff were in it to win and his hard-nosed style was against the "friendly" advice and request of GWB and Rove to run easy against Sharp, a popular democrat (and Aggie friend of Perry's from their A&M years together). Rove wanted to broaden Bush's base for his upcoming White House run. Perry told them where to stick their advice, because he knew the voters would vote for Bush and then cross back over and vote for Sharp (D) if he just walked through the motions like the Bush-Rove team asked him to do.
Perry won the seat for Lt. Gov. -- the first GOP elected to that office since reconstruction. Now 13 years later and into his 3rd term as Texas governor, the GOP holds a super majority. So Perry has earned his conservative spurs -- fighting both parties!
[The Bushes and Rove supported Kay Bailey Hutchison's 2010 primary challenge against Gov. Perry this last election too--which he won and then went on to win the general election]
Sorry about my proof reading — correction:
“When you’re running against Perry, you better bring your lunch.” — John Sharp (D) who will be TX A&M’s new chancellor (with Rick Perry’s blessing).
OF the current crop...I am a Perryphile! There are a lot of factions out there who are aiming to shoot him down. Just read that the lawyers are gonna go after him because of the Texas Tort Reform.
Keeping my fingers crossed.
Did you see Kinky on Imus? He has just about convinced Imus to be pro Perry! Great video exchange.
good info on perry as a democrat.
the socialists on tv are using perry’s former democrat affiliation
without explaining why he shifted to the republican party.