It is useful to compare the career of Rick Perry with that of his fellow Texas and Aggie, Garry Mauro. Both are about the same age (Mauro was born in 1948; Perry in 1950.) Both were early rising stars in Texas politics, with Perry being the Agriculture Commissioner and Mauro becoming Land Commissioner. Mauro stuck with the Democrats and faded into political oblivion, whereas Perry prospered by switching parties as the Lone Star State moved to the R column, first at the top of the ticket, and then down to the dogcatcher level.
Do you have any proof of that?
From what I have heard, he supported Gore in the primaries as the most conservative dem in the race, but voted Reagan in the general.