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The wives of three leading GOP presidential candidates appeared in new TV ads, released within hours of each other on Wednesday. The potential “first ladies” struck different themes as they moved to help shore-up support for their husbands. First out of the traps on Wednesday was Callista Gingrich, the wife of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. She was then followed by Anita Perry, wife of Texas Governor Rick Perry, in a TV ad called ‘American Story’. Soon afterwards, Ann Romney, wife of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, unveiled an ad called ‘Character’. Gingrich and Perry appeared in the ads featuring...

In a world of stump speeches, Anita Perry, 59, is becoming known on the trail, good or bad, for her candor. For a woman who said in 2005 she didn't expect her husband to become governor - or agricultural commissioner for that matter - Anita Perry has grown comfortable in the political spotlight, making campaign stops for her husband and headlines of her own. snip On Friday, while the governor campaigned in Iowa, Anita Perry scheduled a full day of events in New Hampshire snip As her husband became the longest-serving governor in Texas history, Anita Perry advocated for health...

After a week of gaffs from Gov. Rick Perry, his wife Anita is left picking up the pieces and playing damage control on the campaign trail to steer conversation to policy issues. “I’m really proud,” said the first lady of Texas at an American Spectator gala in Washington, D.C. “He put himself on the line and is withstanding the fire because of love of country.” Perry has been in the line of fire, rather, since Friday when allegations surfaced that he delivered a speech in New Hampshire while intoxicated. Though event hosts are defending Perry’s sobriety, his lucid speech was...

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...

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) Inside the Texas governor's big, black SUV rides a small-town girl who never expected to be first lady of the state. Anita Perry, the wife of Republican presidential hopeful Rick Perry, is still a nurse at heart, reaching out to friends and strangers with warmth and health advice. But the quiet blonde who first dated Perry in high school has blossomed over the years into a formidable partner in his political career.

Ever wonder why candidates rarely have their spouses take the stump? Rick Perry's wife Anita told a South Carolina religious forum yesterday that she and her husband "were being brutalized by our opponents, and our own party. So much of that is, I think they look at him, because of his faith. He is the only true conservative -- well, there are some true conservatives. And they're there for good reasons. And they may feel like God called them too. But I truly feel like we are here for that purpose." While her speech was intended to improve the Texas...

The Perry's have hit a wall, they may or may not be able to break through it. This election is taking on a mind of its own and even the GOP cannot control voters. While voters are dumping Perry for Cain, Romney is at a standstill. Governor Perry and his wife have a long road ahead of them on the way to the White House. She sounds whiny about them being criticized. The Perry's will have to learn to roll with the punches, defend the punches or just duck.

Anita Perry, campaigning for husband Rick Perry in South Carolina, suggests he's been "brutalized" by the media and the GOP because of his faith. Perry is the most religiously expressive candidate in the Republican field. He hosted a seven-hour Christian prayer rally in August in advance of entering the presidential race. And at last week's Values Voters Summit, he was introduced by a Dallas Baptist pastor who said rival Mitt Romney is not a Christian and Mormonism is a cult. Perry has suffered several extremely bad weeks, stumbling in the debates and losing the coveted endorsement of New Jersey Gov....

Not quite. The spouse of the stumbling front-runner embodies the decent conservatism he has left behind The monarch butterflies on their way down to Mexico drift like autumn leaves above the barren cotton fields of Haskell, Texas, like they do every fall. But the cotton gins behind the field where the Indians will play football on Friday nights are idle, the white tufts on the grass mere remnants of last year’s crop. Haskell County farmers planted last spring just like every year, but nothing green came up. No rain. Most people say it’s to do with natural weather cycles. A...

In a speech to a Republican group in St. Petersburg Saturday, Anita Perry, wife of GOP presidential frontrunner Rick Perry, defended her husband's stance on Social Security – an area where Mitt Romney has accused him of backing off controversial former comments. "He does not back down in the face of criticism. He rejects weathervane politics … When he stakes his ground, he holds it," including on Social Security, she said. "I've known him since I was 6 years old," Anita Perry said. "He has not backed down an inch from saying Social Security's financing is broken. It must be...

Could a San Antonio trained nurse be the next first lady of the United States? Jack Dennis September 17.2011 Could the 59-year-old daughter of a retired country doctor from Haskell, Texas, who earned her master’s degree in nursing from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio (UTHSC), be the nation’s next first lady? Many people in the nursing, health, and medical field are hoping so. Anita Thigpen Perry, wife of Texas Gov. Rick Perry, is immerging as an asset to her husband’s presidential campaign as more people discover she is a nurse and health advocate. Mrs. Perry...

…….”She tries to help the governor not get too carried away with his own role. "I try to keep him grounded. Sometimes I wonder," she said. When he gets a little too puffed up, "I'm always saying: 'Who told you that you were cute today?' " Still, she intends to get out on the campaign trail and play a more visible part. "Not that I'm a vote-changer or a vote-getter or anything like that," she said. "But I'll do whatever I need to do because I think it's important that he get re-elected." You have to grow thick skin, enjoy...

Don’t expect any Mitch Daniels-like concerns to keep Rick Perry out of the presidential race. In an interview with Janet Mefferd on the Salem Radio Network (owned by Salem Communications, also Hot Air’s parent company), Perry told the audience that his wife is not only enthusiastically supporting the idea of a presidential bid, she’s inspiring it. A former nurse, Anita Perry is “disheartened” about ObamaCare and the government intrusions into health care that have accelerated in this administration. While Perry says that being governor of Texas is “one of the great jobs in the world,” he’s feeling the call to...

Rick Perry, if he enters the GOP primary race, will be well-positioned to chip away at Mitt Romney's front-runner status. But while Romney has, at least for political purposes, an impeccable marriage to wife Ann, Perry's marriage to wife Anita has long been dogged, at least inside Texas, by whispers. Politico resurfaced the rumors for the national crowd this week, explaining that "his team is more than prepared for a re-airing of unsubstantiated rumors." (For instance, in Politico articles re-airing them. Or Daily Intel posts discussing those articles.) The most vicious gossip, which Perry publicly addressed in 2004, alleged that...

Perry's trip to Bahamas with donors draws criticism Associated Press AUSTIN (AP) — "With all due respect, have you LOST YOUR MIND?" a Lockhart woman asked in an e-mail to Perry. "This little trip to the Bahamas ... has convinced a long-term, middle-aged conservative to vote you out of office." Letters and e-mails from 16 people to Perry's office were among documents related to his Presidents Day weekend trip that were released in response to a Public Information Act request by the San Antonio Express-News. Perry's office didn't release other documents relating to internal policy deliberations. The governor's office is...

Perry's timing of 3rd session saves hassles Thursday, September 11, 2003 Gov. Rick Perry left almost three weeks between the second and third special sessions for two reasons, even though the election clock for 2004 is ticking. First, Perry didn't want to rob attention from the effort to pass Proposition 12 on Saturday's ballot. That's the constitutional amendment to cut back on the noneconomic damages that injured parties can collect in civil lawsuits. By waiting to begin the third session on Monday, Perry and wife Anita were free to campaign for the amendment. Second, Perry wanted to fill various positions,...

Texans gear up for early voting start BY APRIL CASTRO Associated Press Writer AUSTIN - As Texans began casting early ballots on Thursday for the upcoming constitutional amendment election, activists from all over the political spectrum scattered across the state in an attempt to jump-start historically low voter turnout in their favor. Twenty-two proposed amendments are on the Sept. 13 ballot, but the focus of an intense media blitz has been on Proposition 12, which would change the Constitution to allow the Legislature to set limits on non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, in medical malpractice and other civil...