I think you've hit a nail on its head. I am a lifelong Texan, GWB and Rick Perry fan. And after his stammering performance in the last debate, I thought Perry lost his "Conservative Texas Gov, but more consistently conservative than and presents his case better than GWB" position.
I bet there are a lot of folks who are looking at Perry now and saying, "Not again."
The problem is, Perry is RIGHT on the issue. The Conventional Conservative wisdom is wrong.
When I come to a question of how to deal with an issue, I don’t stick my finger in the air, I find someone dealing with the issue, and see what they have to say.
As Perry (alas only in one instance) adroitly points out, this was a consensus decision in Texas, only 4 votes against.