Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry endorsed Donald Trump on Thursday, marking a complete change in tone aimed at the billionaire businessman whom he once said would destroy the Republican Party.
“He is not a perfect man. But what I do believe is that he loves this country and he will surround himself with capable, experienced people and he will listen to them,” Perry told CNN.
Perry ended his second bid for the Republican nomination in September of last year, and in that address took repeated jabs at Trump, without mentioning the media mogul’s name, for his disparaging remarks about Hispanics. He also said the eventual nominee must “make the case for the cause of conservatism more than the cause of their own celebrity.”
The former Texas governor also once described Trump as a “cancer” on conservatism.
After Trump knocked his two remaining Republican opponents out of the race on Tuesday when he won Indiana’s primary, Perry seems to have come around.
“I believe in the process, and the process has said Donald Trump will be our nominee, and I’m going to support him and help him and do what I can,” Perry said, adding that Trump is “one of the most talented people who has ever run for the president I have ever seen.”
On whether he would consider being vice president to Trump, Perry didn’t dismiss the idea.
“I am going to be open to any way I can help. I am not going to say no,” said Perry.
