Why did Rick Perry become a Republican?

On his Aug. 30 radio program, conservative commentator Sean Hannity noted that Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s years-ago switch from the Democratic to the Republican party Puts him in the same company as the nation’s 40th president. read more

Even after the passage of Civil Rights, Texas voted for Carter, for instance. The Republican party had what turned out to be a very smart strategy: Win lesser-level offices and work up to the more important levels. The very photogenic and personable Rick Perry was agriculture commissioner, and moved up from there. read more