Former Texas governor of Texas will be announcing today that he will be running for office of the president. Here are 9 interesting facts that you probably do not know about him.
1. Rick Perry served in the military
From 1972 to 1977, he served in the United States Air Force. He flew C-130 tactical airlift aircraft and when he left the Air Force he had the rank of captain. (via)
2. He was first elected as a Democrat
He was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1984 as a Democrat. In 1989, he switched to the Republican Party. In 1990, he ran against incumbent Democratic agriculture commissioner and won. (via)
3. Perry is the longest-serving Governor of Texas
In 1998, he was elected lieutenant governor with George W. Bush elected as governor. When Bush won the presidential race, Perry then assumed governorship in December of 2000. He was elected governor in 2002, 2006, and 2010. (via)
4. Perry had never lost an election until 2012
He has been working in the government for the last three decades. During this time, he has never lost an election he has run in until he ran for president of the United States in 2012. This is where he lost his first election and lost the GOP presidential primary. (via)
5. He shot a coyote while on a jog
While he was out jogging with his dog, a coyote went after his Labrador retriever. Perry shot the coyote with the .380 Ruger that he sometimes carries while jogging. (via)
6. He met his wife in elementary school
Perry met his wife, Anita, at a piano recital when they were both in elementary school. They have been married since 1982 and had two children. (via)
7. He has two books published
Perry has written and published two books. His first was “On My Honor: Why the American Values of the Boy Scouts Are Worth Fighting For.” This book was published in 2008. His second book was published in 2010 and is titled “Fed Up! Our Fight to Save America from Washington.” (via)
8. He’s an Eagle Scout
Perry was in the Boy Scouts and, ultimately, became an Eagle Scout. One of the books he has written has to deal with the values of the Boy Scouts and why they are so important. (via)
9. Perry was the first member of his family to go to college
He earned a degree in Animal Science from Texas A&M University. While in school, he participated in a few actives, such as Corps of Cadets and was a Yell Leader. (via)