Stealth Governor Rick Perry seems to be experiencing some difficulties when it comes to his personal popularity. Of course, perhaps if Governor Goodhair had actually accomplished something during his term in office, he wouldn't be having this problem.
One has to work hard in a state the size of Texas to keep yourself in the public consciousness. Perry's problems begin with the fact that he has done little to publicize himself, his plans, or his accomplishments to Texas voters. Perhaps Governor Goodhair's biggest problem is that he's not George W. Bush, who knew how to play the glad-handing game that is so important in Texas politics. Perry's almost complete lack of a public personality could well cost him a shot at re-election.
AUSTIN - Gov. Rick Perry is recovering from a record plunge in his personal popularity last spring, but his negatives still outweigh his positives, a new poll shows....
The results continued to fuel speculation about likely Republican challenges from Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison or Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn, both of whom have sharply criticized Perry for policies that have cut thousands of young Texans from health insurance.
Some 47 percent in the Scripps Howard survey rated the governor's job performance as fair or poor, a five-point drop from last spring's poll during a failed special legislative session on school finance, when more than half disapproved.
The results, showing Perry's approval rating at 43 percent, are contained in the latest Scripps Howard survey of 1,000 adult Texans Aug. 9-26. Last spring, Perry was popular with only 37 percent of Texans....
Perry spokeswoman Kathy Walt said the governor continues to base policies on principles rather than polls....
Yeah, right; no doubt from a secure, undisclosed location. From where this Progressive Democrat sits, Perry's biggest liability seems to be his inaccessibility and his perceived arrogance. He ran for election on George W. Bush's coattails, but the sad reality is that Governor Goodhair couldn't carry Bush's jockstrap. Until and unless Perry can begin to articulate what he has accomplished with this term and what he intends to do in his next term, he may well not even survive a Republican primary- not that I'd be crying about that.
Of course, I'm not at all certain that the alternatives to Governor Goodhair would be an improvement. And I wonder who the Democratic sacrificial lamb will be this time around? Hey, I'm not busy....
