Editor’s note: On Tuesday, Gov. Rick Perry told the Rio Grande Guardian that he will “make an announcement about [his] future political plans in July.” We asked UT students walking throughout campus how they felt about the governor’s remarks regarding a potential presidential run in 2016.
[Laughs]. Excuse my laughter. I don’t see it happening. Ever. But I don’t have much to say beyond that it’s not going to happen. I just, I don’t believe in him as our governor, let alone as president of the United States.
— Courtney Lavadia, biology sophomore from Salado
Well, that’s a good — I don’t really know how to respond to that. It should be an interesting, I mean, I’m interested in seeing who the GOP brings to the table, but I wouldn’t say that Rick Perry would be my first choice.
— Joanne Chien, nutrition sophomore from Baton Rouge, LA
I feel that he’s free to run. It’s his right, you know? But at a personal level, it’s not so much him. I mean, it is him. But the Republican Party in general has to reorganize themselves. They have to drop the religious fanatics. They have to deal with immigration better because that’s the reason they lost this election. They have to deal more with minorities. And he’s actually from Texas, so he should know more about immigration than other Republicans, maybe. But yeah, I feel like he’s free to run. I have personal issues with him. I don’t hate him or anything, but if he wants to be a presidential candidate he should basically go a step further with immigration. I guess his little campaign prayer thing he did — last year, was it? — in the Houston stadium. He might want to drop that too. Just reform the Republican Party.
— Everardo Alvarez, government and economics junior from Laredo
It makes me roll my eyes. But I think he made such a big fool of himself in 2012 that if he ran again in 2016 it would be good for Texas Democrats, because it would increase the chances of him not being reelected for governor in 2016, I guess. So I know he won’t ever become president of the United States, so I’m not worried about it, and it might get him out of office in Texas, so I’m kind of happy about this news.
— Nathan Vest, Arabic and history junior from Sugar Land
Well, I think that this campaign showed his true self, and I just don’t think that he can [win]. I think Obama was really strong, and I think it was a really fought-out battle. I honestly don’t think he’s strong enough, and doesn’t appeal enough to the public. But I think he’s kind of charismatic, I guess. But he’s missing that emotional component that Obama has.
— Paulina Jaime, Psychology and English senior from Monterrey, Mexico
I don’t think it’s a very good idea, considering. I mean, he’s so conservative he won’t appeal to anybody, you know? If he was at least moderately moderate, he might have a chance. But considering … I just don’t think he has a chance, and I don’t think it’s very smart at all.
— Ulrika Doederlein, Communication sophomore from Guam
Uh, well, I’m kind of shocked. I mean, I thought he kind of made a fool out of himself the first time. I mean, not to say that he may not be capable, but I just don’t think that he has the presence of it — the support of the other people. A lot of it has to do with image.
— Hayden Thomas, Biology junior from Buda
Uh, he probably wouldn’t have my vote.
— Elizabeth Cherry, International Relations and Global Studies senior from Denver, Colorado
I think that would be a really bad idea for the Republican Party. I think that the next election, they’re going to have to choose — the Republican Party, I mean — whether or not they’re going to continue to be heading towards this super-polarized, conservative direction, or pick a candidate that’s actually a moderate, that actually has a chance of doing something for the country.
— Katelyn Woolheather, Public Health junior from McKinney
