Gov. Rick Perry revealed what had been rumored to be the worst-kept secret in Austin.
He’s not going to seek a fourth four-year term as Texas governor.
In a widely anticipated news conference in San Antonio, Perry said he’ll keep working hard to ensure Texas continues to grow.
Count me as one Texan who’s glad to see him hang up his spurs.
I hate making this comparison, because it fits only in the context of time served. When Perry leaves the governor’s office in January 2015 he will have served longer as Texas governor than Franklin Roosevelt served as the four-times-elected president of the United States. And yet, it has been noted that many Americans grew to the verge of puberty without knowing of any other man than FDR as their president.
Think of that for a moment. Many young Texans who have entered their teen years haven’t known of anyone other Rick Perry as their governor.
His legacy, such as it is, will live on in the hundreds of appointments he’s made to state boards and commissions who will serve well past the time he is in office. Many observers have noted already that Perry has elevated the power of an office once thought to be relatively weak simply through all those appointments he’s made. They sit on the state’s two highest appellate courts — the Supreme Court and the Court of Criminal Appeals — along with many lower-level appellate courts. They regulate the whole range of just about any professional endeavor you can name.
And as one of his final acts, Perry has vowed to ensure that the Legislature approves a restrictive abortion bill that effectively criminalizes abortion after the 20th week of pregnancy.
His plans now? Well, as one would expect, he didn’t say he’s going to run for president in 2016. The smart money says he is giving it serious thought, if only to seek to redeem his national image after the battering he took over his dismal performance during the 2012 Republican primary.
Many of us saw this announcement coming today. I’m on a roll now, so I’ll make this prediction: I believe he’ll run for president in three years, but will not be elected president in 2016. I’ll wait, though, before deciding whether to predict his party even will nominate him. If I had to make that call today, I’d say “no.” I’m not making that call just yet.
I’ll be content to say simply: good riddance.