Texas Gov. Rick Perry is hanging up his (cowboy?) hat, announcing Monday that he would not seek re-election in 2014. “[The] time has come to pass on the mantle of leadership,” he told a crowd in San Antonio, adding that he considered the Lone Star State’s governorship, “the greatest job in modern politics.”
Perry touted his record, including adding 1.6 million jobs in the state. He also didn’t shy away from the more hot-button issues being discussed in Texas today. “Texas will remain a pro-life, pro-family, pro-freedom state,” he noted, while also reiterating his support for “traditional marriage.”
His own wife, Anita, introduced the Republican governor, sharing that she spent much of the couple’s first date with her now mother-in-law and father-in-law, because he wanted to show off his football prowess. “She has been a fantastic first lady of Texas,” Perry said in return.
As for bigger plans for the future, Perry said he’d announce such things at a later date. “Well, certainly, that’s an option out there,” he said Sunday on Fox, to the question of seeking the presidency.
