Gop House Members Ready To Put ‘arkansans For Perry’ Group In Action

It should come as no surprise that GOP House members who worked to persuade Texas Gov. Rick Perry to seek the Republican Presidential nomination are ready to put their "Arkansans for Perry" group in action.

Rep. David Sanders (R-Little Rock) said today, "Two months ago, I and 19 Arkansas lawmakers encouraged Gov. Perry become a candidate for the presidency.  Now, we stand ready to help him become President Rick Perry."

Sanders said that the group plans to travel to Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina – the early states for Presidential caucuses and primaries – and he is coordinating a swing through Arkansas for Perry at an unknown date in the future. That trip will include meet-and-greets as well as fundraising.

"I’m looking forward to putting on my snowshoes in New Hampshire, my seersucker in South Carolina, and overalls or whatever it takes in Iowa," Sanders tells Talk Business & Politics.

Saying Perry has a "hopeful and optimistic vision" for the country, Sanders touted the Texas executive’s job creation record, which will certainly come under a great deal of scrutiny. "Gov. Perry is a proven job creator who knows how to put Americans back to work and America on a path to prosperity and renewal," Sanders said.

About 40% of new U.S. jobs created in the economist-defined post-recessionary period of 2008-9 have happened in Texas. However, critics complain that many of the jobs are low-wage and that state’s unemployment rate is 8.2%, slightly higher than Arkansas’ – a rate criticized by Arkansas Republicans.

Twenty state GOP House members signed a letter of support for Perry’s Presidential candidacy as part of the "Arkansans for Perry" announcement in June.