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Texas Gov. Rick Perry, right, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, left, and Attorney General Greg Abbott pray at the close of an anti-abortion fundraising event in Dallas, |
Aides to Texas Gov. Rick Perry said they are scrambling to determine the
logistical challenges he would face in making a late entry to the fight
for the Republican presidential nomination, the latest sign he is
serious about joining the contest.
Among their considerations is whether Perry has enough time to
raise sufficient cash, which generally requires personal contact with
donors and fundraisers. Aides also have made inquiries in Iowa to
assess his chances there in the first-in-the-nation caucuses.
The actions show that Perry has moved beyond thinking about
joining the contest to determining whether he can build a winning
campaign.
Perry, 61, would bring to the race an unusual blend of populism
and establishment conservatism, marked by a combative stance against a
range of Obama administration policies.
The three-term governor drew an enthusiastic response during a speech
Saturday to the Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans when he
challenged GOP candidates not to shrink from social issues, such as
opposition to abortion. He also touted the passage of legislation that
requires voters to have valid identification.
“It saddens me when sometimes my fellow Republicans duck and cover in
the face of pressure from the left,” Perry said, touching a GOP
debate over how much to highlight social issues, such as abortion or gay
marriage. “Our party cannot be all things to all people.”
Click here to read the rest of this story in the Wall Street Journal.
Cheri Fuller and Cindy Lamb Curry 
Marilyn Hickey 
Charisma Staff 
