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Professor
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Rick Perry
Rick Perry is the 47th governor of Texas from 2000 to 2015. He is the longest serving governor of Texas, and the fourth Texas governor to have served three terms. Rick Perry has important impact on Texas geopolitical culture and other socioeconomic aspects of Texas. This paper is to analyze Perry’s political career and notable issues under his gubernatorial terms.
Rick Perry was born James Richard Perry on March 4th, 1950 at Paint Creek, Texas. According to his biography published by the A&E Television Networks, sis parents were both ranchers; his father also served as Haskell County commissioner for many years and introduced his son to politics (“Rick Perry”). Perry was active in the Boy Scouts as he grew up, and eventually earned the highest rank as Eagle Scout. He graduated from high school in 1968 and went to attend Texas A&M University. At Texas A&M University, he was one of the university’s five yell leaders, male cheerleaders who lead the school’s yells and fight songs. He also joined the Corps of Cadet, the student military organization at Texas A&M, and earned a commission from the United States Air Force. Perry graduated from Texas A&M in 1972 with a bachelor’s degree in animal science.
Rick Perry started his political career when he was elected into Texas House of Representatives as a Democrat in 1984. After serving two terms as a representative, he switched parties and became a Republican in 1989. He then ran for the Agriculture Commissioner position and won over the incumbent commissioner, Jim Hightower (Benning). In 1998, Perry ran for lieutenant governor of Texas and assumed the office in 1999, becoming the first Republican lieutenant governor since Reconstruction (The Republican Party of Texas). He assumed the governor position in 2000 when George W. Bush, the then-current governor, resigned to be the President of the United States. Perry won the gubernatorial election in 2002, and...
