Governor of Texas Rick Perry said he thinks the elections earlier this month sent a pretty clear message. In Perry’s recent meeting at Keene State College, the governor of Texas explained why he was happy with the midterm results a few weeks ago.
Perry said he thinks voters conveyed a clear message to Washington, “We’re not happy with where this country is going.”
Photo Illustration by David Walsh / News Editor and Philip Bergeron / Graphic Design Editor
The event was held in the Flag Room of the L.P. Young Student Center on Nov. 10 and was sponsored by the KSC Student Republicans and the American Democracy Project. The room was occupied by a mix of students as well as New Hampshire citizens eager to hear what the governor had to say.
“I thought he addressed a lot of things that need to be addressed in this country now,” student Katelyn Charron said. Charron said she came to the event because she may consider voting for Perry if he decides to run for president in 2016.
Perry started his meeting at KSC talking about the midterms. “A majority is a terrible thing to waste,” Perry said in reference to Republicans winning majority in the U.S. Senate. Republicans now have a majority in House as well as the Senate. Perry said he hopes new people in office will help “work across the aisle,” to get things done in Washington, D.C.
Perry also spoke about the Keystone XL Pipeline, a pipeline he said would be, “the safest pipeline ever built in human history.”
“I thought what he said about it was partially true,” Student Body President Bobby Graham said about Perry’s explanation of the XL Pipeline.
The pipeline would bring oil from Canada to Nebraska and would help stimulate the U.S. economy, according to Perry. Perry also said the pipeline would make North American energy independent. Major environmental concerns regarding the construction and usage of the pipeline make it a hot topic.
Perry also expressed his desire for stronger border control on the U.S.-Mexico border.
“How do we secure a 1,800 mile long border?” Perry asked, “You must have a presence.”
Before Perry’s meeting concluded, he answered a question about his indictment in August on charges of abuse of his official powers and coercion of a public servant.
According to Will Weissert of the Associated Press, these charges stem from Perry attempting to pressure Democratic District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg to resign.
According to the Associated Press, Lehmberg was arrested and charged with a DWI in 2013 and Perry said he would veto $7.5 million in state funds to Lehmberg’s Public Integrity Unit.
Perry vetoed these funds and his charges soon followed.
According to USA Today, special prosecutor of the case Michael McCrum recently said he believes the jury should hear the felony case, rather than have it thrown out on constitutional grounds like Perry’s legal team wants. Special prosecutors are appointed specifically to investigate government officials.
“I take it very seriously,” Perry said of the charges against him. However he said he stands by what he did.
“If I was provided with the same evidence, the same decision tomorrow, that is the same decision I would make. I think I made a responsible decision,” he said.
“I had no idea this type of event happened on campus. It was great,” Ezra Richardson said. Richardson is a freshman and attended the event with his class.
Student Body President Bobby Graham said, “I thought it was healthy.” He mentioned that KSC has already had an independent and two democrats come this semester, so it was good to bring a nationally-known republican into the mix.
Graham doesn’t necessarily think Perry’s tour of the country means he’s running for president in 2016, but it means something.
“I think it could be definitely a testing of waters for himself, or a testing of waters for other prominent republicans,” he said.
A member of KSC Student Republicans said the group plans on getting more republicans to visit this year, and Graham hopes to get as many candidates as possible from all parties during the remainder of the year.
Skyler Frazer can be contacted at sfrazer@keene-equinox.com
