Rick Perry

Rick Perry
Ken Shipp/United States Department of Energy · Public domain · source
Name	Rick Perry
Birth name	James Richard Perry
Birth date	4 March 1950
Birth place	Haskell, Texas, U.S.
Party	Republican Party
Spouse	Cavell Swift
Office	14th United States Secretary of Energy
Term start	February 2, 2017
Term end	December 1, 2019
President	Donald Trump
Predecessor	Ernest Moniz
Successor	Dan Brouillette
Office1	47th Governor of Texas
Term start1	December 21, 2000
Term end1	January 20, 2015
Lieutenant1	Bill Ratliff; David Dewhurst; Greg Abbott
Predecessor1	George W. Bush
Successor1	Greg Abbott
Office2	39th Agriculture Commissioner of Texas
Term start2	January 15, 1999
Term end2	December 21, 2000
Governor2	George W. Bush
Predecessor2	Susan Combs
Successor2	Susan Combs
Office3	37th Lieutenant Governor of Texas
Term start3	January 19, 1999
Term end3	December 21, 2000
Predecessor3	Bob Bullock
Successor3	Bill Ratliff

Rick Perry is an American politician and Republican public figure who served as the 47th Governor of Texas and as the 14th United States Secretary of Energy under Donald Trump. His career spans state executive posts, federal cabinet service, and multiple presidential campaigns, intersecting with prominent figures and institutions in late 20th and early 21st-century United States politics. Perry's tenure influenced energy policy, state fiscal practices, and national conservative movement debates.

Early life and education

Born James Richard Perry in Haskell, Texas, Perry was raised in a rural Texas setting and attended public schools in Paint Creek, Texas. He studied at Texas A&M University, where he was involved with Aggie Bonfire traditions and joined Kappa Sigma fraternity, earning a degree in animal science. Perry later worked as a rancher and businessman, connecting him to agriculture communities and statewide networks that included leaders from Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio.

Political career

Perry entered elective politics via local and statewide offices in Texas, aligning with figures from the Republican Revolution era and collaborating with leaders such as George W. Bush, Kay Bailey Hutchison, and Greg Abbott. He served as Lieutenant Governor of Texas, then as Agriculture Commissioner of Texas, positioning himself within coalitions that included National Governors Association, Texas Legislature members, and policy groups in Austin. During his rise he engaged with organizations like the National Rifle Association, American Farm Bureau Federation, and think tanks such as Heritage Foundation and American Legislative Exchange Council.

Governor of Texas (2000–2015)

Ascending to the governorship following George W. Bush's resignation to become President of the United States, Perry presided over policy areas involving interactions with the Texas Department of Transportation, Texas Supreme Court, and the Texas Education Agency. His tenure saw initiatives on tax policy and regulatory reform that connected him to state legislators in the Texas Senate and Texas House of Representatives, as well as to business leaders from ExxonMobil, AT&T, and the Texas Medical Center. Perry championed measures on tort reform that were debated alongside rulings from the United States Supreme Court and engaged in interstate compacts with governors like Mitt Romney's contemporaries. He presided during crises including responses coordinated with Federal Emergency Management Agency and Department of Homeland Security after Hurricane Rita and other storms impacting the Gulf Coast and ports such as Port of Houston.

2012 and 2016 presidential campaigns

Perry launched a bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012, entering debates alongside candidates including Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, and Rick Santorum. The campaign faced scrutiny over performances in televised debates hosted by networks like Fox News and moments that drew attention from commentators at The New York Times and The Washington Post. He mounted a second presidential campaign in 2016, competing in primaries and caucuses against figures such as Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and Jeb Bush, and participating in the nominating calendar that featured contests in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina.

United States Secretary of Energy (2017–2019)

Nominated by Donald Trump and confirmed by the United States Senate, Perry led the United States Department of Energy during debates over energy policies involving Department of Energy national laboratories like Los Alamos National Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, as well as programs connected to nuclear power and fossil fuel industries represented by ExxonMobil and Chevron. His tenure addressed issues including energy infrastructure, the Paris Agreement, and coordination with agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Defense. Perry worked with congressional committees including the United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and engaged with international counterparts from countries like Saudi Arabia and Russia on energy diplomacy.

Political positions and legacy

Perry's policy stances aligned with conservative positions advocated by groups including the Heritage Foundation, Club for Growth, and Americans for Prosperity, emphasizing low taxation, deregulation, and support for the fossil fuel sector and nuclear energy. His governance affected debates in the Republican coalition and influenced successors such as Greg Abbott. Perry's legacy is discussed in coverage by outlets like The Wall Street Journal and legal analyses relating to investigations by entities such as the United States Department of Justice and state-level prosecutors. His career remains a reference point in histories of Texas politics, the energy debate, and 21st-century American conservative movement strategy.

Category:1950 births Category:Living people Category:Governors of Texas Category:United States Secretaries of Energy