ORLANDO — Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who took a pummeling at the GOP debate Thursday over his views on Social Security and in-state tuition for illegal immigrants, tried to recover his momentum at Friday’s CPAC convention in Florida, telling the audience that he is a true conservative candidate and hinting that his top opponent, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, is merely smoke and mirrors.
“As conservatives, it’s not whose the slickest candidate or the smoothest debater,” Perry told the crowd, making reference to Romney’s widely praised debate performance on Thursday. “We need to elect the candidate with the best record and best vision for our country.”
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Perry’s 15 minute address skipped any reference to his policy of allowing some illegal immigrants in Texas to pay in-state college tuition rates, which he defended during the debate and which appears to have hurt his standing with conservative delegates here.
Instead, Perry attacked Romney over the Massachusetts health care law that served as the model for the national health care law Republicans want to repeal. Romney continued to defend the plan as right for Massachusetts.
Perry pointed to a recent study by the fiscally conservative Beacon Hill Institute that found the state’s mandatory health insurance policy cost Massachusetts 18,000 jobs.
“If Romneycare cost Massachusetts 18,000 jobs, just think what it would do to the rest of the country if Obamacare is applied to the rest of this country,” Perry said.
As he has done repeatedly on the campaign trail, Perry sought to distinguish himself from Romney by touting his record as governor and his upbringing as the son of tenant farmers whose childhood home lacked indoor plumbing.
“I will promise you one thing,” Perry said, referencing Romney’s wealthier upbringing. “I wasn’t born with four aces in my hand.”
The Conservative Political Action Conference is part of a three-day series of events for state Republican delegates that concludes with a straw poll Saturday.
Romney was followed on the stage by four other candidates who promoted their accomplishments to the conservative crowd.
Former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania said he has the most authentic conservative credentials and has never flip flopped on key issues as other candidates, including Romney, have done.
“There’s somebody in this race who hasn’t just taken a pledge, he’s taken the bullets for conservative causes,” Santorum said.
Former pizza executive Herman Cain gave a crowd-pleasing speech that promoted his 9 percent, across-the-board tax rate and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman implored the crowd to judge him on his record and not dismiss him just because some of his views don’t mesh with the conservative movement, including his backing of civil unions for same-sex couples.
“We can disagree on some areas and still be united on core beliefs,” Huntsman said, pointing to his anti-tax, pro-life agenda.
Rep. Ron Paul of Texas called for a reduction in U.S. military involvement around the globe and ending the intrusive policies of the federal government. He proposed allowing young people to opt out of Social Security.
The speeches helped convince a few attendees to switch their support, though many said they are still undecided.
“I was very interested in listening to Perry when I came here,” said Mary Ann Russell of Port St. Lucie. “I just think the press built him up to be the savior of the world and I’m not so sure he is. I think I’m leaning now toward Rick Santorum. ”
