New York Times
Originally Published: Jan 15, 2015
AUSTIN, Tex. — Gov. Rick Perry leaves office here next week not so much as a man but as the face of an era — a 14-year reign in which he became the state’s longest-serving chief executive and was widely regarded as the most powerful governor in the history of modern Texas.
He turned a happenstance, unelected rise to office — going from lieutenant governor to governor in December 2000 after George W. Bush resigned to become president — into a one-man Republican dynasty, winning three four-year terms, making every appointment on every board and commission in the state and redefining the power of the governor’s office.
In a farewell speech to the Texas Legislature on Thursday, Mr. Perry made a spirited case for his tenure, boasting that Texas has become more prosperous and financially sound — with better schools, safer streets, cleaner air and fewer frivolous lawsuits — since he became governor.
“There’s a reason more people move to Texas than any other state, because this is the best place in the world to find a job and raise a family and to pursue your dreams,” Mr. Perry, 64, told lawmakers at the Capitol. READ MORE