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Rick Perry has taken another step to being a national player and perhaps inching his way into a national presidential campaign. One of the ways is to make friends. On July 31, he filed the necessary paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to create a political committee called RickPAC. He intends to use the committee to donate contributions to like-minded Republicans. “It was set up to help fund candidates who agree with the governor’s priorities,” said spokesman Mark Miner.

Perhaps no state claims the sense of pride that is evident in Texas. Author Mark Davis talks about this shared sentiment in his new book "Lone Star America." This week, he spoke with Townhall about how Texas is excelling and taking the lead on just about every issue from jobs to energy to the Second Amendment. He shared some insight into policies that allow Texas to thrive economically, as well as his thoughts as to which Texans could be in the White House in 2016. Why write this book now? In 30 plus years of doing radio talk shows, conservatives...

Behind Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s visit to Iowa this week to campaign for local politicians is a careful effort to remake his image from the 2012 Republican presidential candidate who couldn’t remember a key message during a debate, to a more polished and prepared contender. While he denies it is a dress rehearsal for a second presidential run, Perry is studying policy, traveling and meeting with key activists as he campaigns for Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad and U.S. Senate candidate Matt Whitaker in the state expected to host the first presidential caucus of 2016. …

I caught a bit of Rick Perry's CPAC speech today and, boy, does he have a fire in the belly. Had we seen this fire in 2012, then perhaps he would have won the GOP nomination. Of course, Perry underwent back surgery which significantly contributed to his lackluster campaign.

Rick Perry admitted at the RGA today that he was very troubled by Obama’s tone today addressing the National Governors Association: I don’t mind telling you I was a bit troubled today by the tone of the president. …For the president of the United States to look Democrat and Republican governors in the eye and to say ‘I do not trust you to make decisions in your state about issues of education, about transportation infrastructure…’ – that is really troubling. Perry went on to say that Obama was going to hollow out the National Guard and warned the state governors...

Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) is accelerating efforts to explore another bid for the presidency. But few Republicans, including some past supporters, are excited at the prospect of him launching a second White House campaign. Perry is making all the moves of a traditional candidate, with multiple visits to Iowa, an upcoming trip to South Carolina and a flurry of recent appearances on cable news networks. But following his disappointing 2012 campaign, and heading into an election where the GOP field appears to be much stronger, few strategists think he would stand a real chance of winning the 2016 nomination....

If you’re wondering whether my Governor is going to try to become our President, I have no magic window to that, even though I have known him for nearly twenty tears. But from here in Texas, where all kinds of political plotlines are getting attention, there are some insights I can share as Rick Perry plans a return to private life that may be only momentary. First, let’s get rid of the dumbest analysis of the past week-- the notion that Perry is not seeking re-election because he feared a loss to pro-choice rock starlet Wendy Davis. Senator Davis may...

Rick Perry has announced that he will not seek reelection in 2014. When he leaves office, Perry will have served as governor of Texas for 13 years (the longest such tenure ever, I believe) and, as John Fund notes, he has a fine record. Perry kept taxes low and business regulation reasonable, and it is no coincidence that approximately 30 percent of new private-sector job creation during the last decade occurred in Texas. Perry will also be remembered for his extremely weak run for the presidency. His lack of fluency and failure to remember his own talking points cost him...

Congressman Jim Himes (D-Conn.) said Governor Rick Perry “had blood on his hands” for supporting the Second Amendment of the US Constitution.

The Obama administration on Friday rebuffed requests by Texas Gov. Rick Perry and the leaders of several other states to waive a federal renewable fuel mandate that requires ethanol to be blended into the nation's gasoline supply. In rejecting the waiver requests, the Environmental Protection Agency effectively disagreed with the states' concerns that the mandate was spiking corn demand and prices following a drought that devastated crops in the Midwest. The EPA concluded the Renewable Fuel Standard would not cause "severe economic harm" to states and regions. "We recognize that this year's drought has created hardship in some sectors of...

“The American people have given President Obama a chance to start over. He can take steps this time to govern responsibly. He can work with, not against, Republicans in Congress and governors around the nation. He can put an end to his reckless disregard for our rule of law and spare our nation another long, painful and expensive four years for American families, taxpayers and employers. “We must hold his and Congress’ feet to the fire to once and for all cut spending, repeal Obamacare and withdraw federal encroachment into state decision-making and personal liberties. Our nation’s long-term prosperity and...

Gov. Rick Perry's Facebook page is definitely interesting right now, to say the least. There is a lot of talk, urging him to consider having Texas secede from the union. While I believe that talk of secession is a bit dramatic right now, I understand where people are coming from. Frankly, I would support getting a coalition behind Gov. Perry for 2016 to take back the White House! Thoughts?

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Federal court ruled on Tuesday that a controversial Texas voter identification law discriminates against black and Hispanic voters, effectively killing the law before it could take effect for the November 6 presidential election. The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued the ruling. ..

State argued that it is not required to subsidize organizations that advocate elective abortions AUSTIN, Texas — A federal appeals court ruled late Tuesday that Texas can cut off funding for Planned Parenthood clinics that provide health services to low-income women before a trial over a new law that bans state money from going to organizations tied to abortion providers. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans lifted a federal judge's temporary injunction calling for the funding to continue pending an October trial on Planned Parenthood's challenge to the law. Texas officials sought to cut off funding...

Texas will not expand Medicaid or establish a health insurance exchange, two major tenets of the federal health reform that the U.S. Supreme Court upheld last month, Gov. Rick Perry said in a Monday morning announcement. "I stand proudly with the growing chorus of governors who reject the Obamacare power grab," he said in a statement. "Neither a 'state' exchange nor the expansion of Medicaid under this program would result in better 'patient protection' or in more 'affordable care.' They would only make Texas a mere appendage of the federal government when it comes to health care." Perry's office sent...

Midland, TX – CBS 7 has confirmed that Governor Rick Perry will be in Midland on Monday to attend a press conference for a special announcement regarding XCOR Aerospace. Griffin Communications, the Public Relations company handling the event, confirms the Governor will be in attendance along with XCOR Aerospace and community leaders. As CBS 7 News broke first, The Midland Development Corporation and The City of Midland are working on a deal with XCOR Aerospace. This coming Monday, The MDC and City Council will be voting on the agreement, which includes $10 million in incentives for the company to move...

The federal government will phase out funding to Texas for a key women's health program, calling a transition period necessary to ensure that low-income clients don't abruptly lose access to screenings and contraceptives. Money for the Medicaid Women's Health Program is cut off because the state exclude clinics affiliated with abortion, even if the clinics "don't provide abortions." The federal government says that's not allowed. The ban notably affects Planned Parenthood. Gov. Rick Perry promised anew that the state will pick up the cost of the program, in which nearly 130,000 Texas women are enrolled. Where that money will come...

The federal government will stop funding a Texas health program that serves 130,000 low-income women because of a state law that bars abortion-affiliated clinics from getting public money, a top U.S. health official said Friday. The federal money, which covers 90 percent of the state's $40 million program, will be phased out between May and September because the law violates federal regulations requiring that women have a choice in medical care, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said during a trip to Houston. That means the Women's Health Program will join a long list of programs nationwide on the...

Rick Perry took a shot at Rick Santorum prior to tonight's GOP debate, saying the former Pennsylvania senator is "weak on the 10th Amendment" and lacks the instinct to go after big spending in Washington. In an interview, Perry touted Newt Gingrich as the best Republican in the field to be the party's nominee for president. Perry said of Santorum, "He thinks that Washington needs to be making a substantial amount of those decisions" regarding spending and federal oversight of education, environment and health care decisions better left to the states. Perry appeared on conservative talker Michael Medved's radio show.The...