Gov. Rick Perry's record of creating jobs with taxpayer money is coming under greater scrutiny because of his presidential campaign. Perry is trying to deflect criticism of inflated job numbers and cronyism from the right and the left, from The Wall Street Journal to The New Republic and, of course, from his presidential rivals. This is hardly news in Texas, where the Legislature this year ordered greater oversight of Perry's management of economic development funds in the wake of a critical audit and outside evaluations of his jobs record. But past criticisms are amplified by presidential politics, particularly when some...