Reaching out

Texas style toned down a notch, Perry tests message in Granite State

August 18, 2011|By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

Governor Rick Perry of Texas spoke at a business round table yesterday at… (Brian Snyder/Reuters )

BEDFORD, N.H. - Governor Rick Perry of Texas, who has held statewide prayers for rain in his home state and holds many positions dear to social conservatives, came to moderate New Hampshire yesterday to fish for votes in the backyard of front-runner Mitt Romney.

“I’m straight up about it: I’m running for president because we’ve got to get America working again,’’ Perry said to a packed audience at the state’s Politics and Eggs breakfast. “Live free or die,’’ he added, of the state’s motto. “You’ve got to love that.’’

Perry has immediately catapulted to the top tier in the Republican presidential contest - one national poll already has him in the lead. But whether Perry, a pistol-packing Texan fond of cowboy boots and cuff links, can attract broad-based support in a state known for its frugal, independent-minded Yankees is a major question that will help determine the contours of the race.

New Hampshire is the second-least religious state, and its GOP voters are more likely to support abortion rights than the nation as a whole. In two presidential primaries, GOP voters picked Arizona’s John McCain, the senator with a reputation for building bridges to Democrats, over George W. Bush in 2000 and Mitt Romney in 2008.

Yesterday Perry continued emphasizing the economy and drawing sharp contrasts with Romney on both style and substance. He also reiterated emphatically that he does not believe climate change is caused by man, a position Romney holds.

Perry, fresh from a trip to Iowa, is spending two days in New Hampshire meeting with political and business leaders as he tests his message and determines whether to invest heavily in the first-in-the-nation primary state that is so prized by Romney.

It was clear from the size of the crowd yesterday at the Bedford Village Inn - which some described as the biggest in years - that New Hampshire residents are willing to be swayed by a new choice in the race.

“This guy’s got swagger that makes George Bush look like a college professor,’’ said Patrick Griffin, a Republican consultant and senior fellow at Saint Anselm’s College who is not aligned with a candidate. “I think this guy, given the tone and discussion of this race, is probably the right guy for Republicans right now to contrast with the president.’’

Perry took 10 questions from the audience, calling on them with a drawled “Yes ma’am,’’ and “Yes sir,’’ but avoided any inquiries from the media. He also spoke from prepared remarks, and appeared determined to avoid making controversial statements as he did Monday when he said the actions of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke may border on treason.