Perry bashes Washington at Texas Republican convention

FORT WORTH, TX -- Gov. Rick Perry addressed the Republican state convention for the final time as governor on Tuesday, firing up thousands of delegates by repeatedly bashing Washington and saying America should follow in Texas' footsteps.

The longest-serving governor in Texas history said his state's booming economy had created more than a third of the nation's new private sector jobs since 2001, thanks to keeping taxes and regulations low. He also bragged about dramatically improving high school graduation rates, especially among black and Hispanic students.

"Over the years, I've obtained a few more wrinkles, got some more gray hair, got new eye-ware and a seasoned perspective," said Perry, who last year began wearing stylish, dark-framed eyeglasses and whose hair began showing touches of gray - once unthinkable for a man long dubbed "Governor Good Hair."

He then added: "Without equivocation or qualification, there is no place like Texas."

But the bulk of speech his speech focused on national issues - little surprise considering Perry hasn't ruled out a second White House run in 2016.

He was introduced at the Fort Worth Convention Center by his wife Anita, who referenced Perry's short-lived 2012 presidential run and added "we've both got some tread left on our tires."

The governor drew a standing when he said Texas didn't succumb to "federal blackmail" by taking increased funding from Washington to expand the Medicaid program under President Barack Obama's signature health care law. He got another when he implored "let's get back" to the U.S. Constitution's 10th Amendment, which protects states' rights.

"The formula of higher taxes, more spending and massive debt has weighed down our economy, and it puts our nation on course to the failed polices of Detroit and Greece," Perry said of federal initiatives. "There is a better way and it's called the Texas way."

The speech was well-received Thursday, in contrast to two years ago when Perry praised Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and was booed soundly by supporters of Dewhurst's then-opponent for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination, tea party firebrand Ted Cruz.

Perry's appearance this year marked the unofficial start of his farewell to Texas politics - and surges by fiercely conservative candidates during the last two election cycles means the Texas GOP may now be too conservative even for him.

Perry has long championed a 2001 state law offering in-state university tuition to children of illegal immigrants. In 2012, state Republican convention delegates approved a platform endorsing a guest worker program to make it easier for immigrants in the country illegally to get good jobs.

But this week, delegates are poised to endorse a harder-line approach to immigration in the official platform. Also, Cruz - now a conservative superstar in Texas and nationally - is favored to win a convention presidential straw poll this week over Perry. Though he's been in the U.S. Senate less than 18 months, Cruz hasn't ruled out a 2016 White House run of his own.

Perry steered clear of hot-button conservative issues such as abortion, family values and immigration - but made it clear he's not ready to cede the most-active conservatives to Cruz.

"As the grassroots, you have changed Texas for the better," he said. "Now it's time to change America so it lives up to its promise."