http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/242209-perry-to-announce-june-4-in-dallas By Ben Kamisar - 05/15/15 11:46 AM EDT
Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry will announce his expected entry into the crowded GOP presidential field on June 4 in Dallas.
Anita Thigpen Perry, his wife, emailed an invitation on Friday to supporters of the former governor’s political committee.
“America is facing a time of testing, and it's clear that we need principled leadership and an optimistic vision to see us through after eight years of the Obama Administration,” she wrote.
“Rick and I have been talking a lot about what the future holds for our great country, and the role our family can play in creating an America of unlimited opportunity for our children and grandchildren. We are so excited to share our decision with you, and hope you will join us on June 4th in Dallas for a major announcement!”
While she didn’t directly reveal Perry’s decision, he’s long been considered likely to make a bid to reprise his failed 2012 run for the White House.
In that cycle, Perry stormed onto the trail in August as an affable social conservative, securing the front-runner status for a short time before crashing back down to Earth with a widely-mocked debate miscue in which he couldn’t name the three federal departments he wanted to eliminate.
He’s since admitted that he was “arrogant” to think that he could win despite a lack of preparation and the fact that he was still recovering from back surgery.
This time, he’ll have to take on the field as a significant underdog. Perry currently sits in ninth place in national polling, according to a Real Clear Politics analysis of recent figures, and hasn’t sniffed more than four percent of the vote in any recent polling from Iowa, New Hampshire or South Carolina.
But Perry has been barnstorming the early primary and caucus states since he left the governor’s mansion early this year, heralding his economic record as head of the state that had created the most jobs in the country last year.
And he’s sought to shore up his foreign-policy credentials, a perceived Achilles heel for governors facing off against a field of current and former senators, by meeting with Washington think tanks and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.
Perry faces an indictment in Texas for abuse of power, stemming from a threat that he would veto funds for an anti-corruption unit unless its head resigned after a drunk driving conviction. Perry argues that the veto threat was within his power, but opponents believe it was meant to coerce the public official to resign and as retribution against the unit.
Sen. Ted Cruz is currently the only other Texan in the GOP presidential field, but a number of other likely contenders have strong ties to the Lone Star State. Former Fla. Gov. Jeb Bush comes from a Texas political dynasty that includes former Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, as well as the state’s current Land Commissioner.
Jeb Bush has already made fundraising stops in Dallas for his political action committee, where he appeared alongside both former presidents.
And Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is the son of former Texas Rep. Ron Paul (R), who served more than two decades in the House. That’s led to a significant scramble for donors and political allies across the state.
