As 2011 nears its end, it’s time for 2012 presidential hopefuls to kick their campaigns into gear. With unclear economic stability, constant partisan bickering and the Tea Party steamrolling its way into conservative Christian hearts, next year’s presidential election is shaping up to be one for the books. With Michelle Bachmann and Mitt Romney leading the way for Republican candidates, a new presence is slowly making his way into the spotlight. His name is Rick Perry and he’s the right kind of crazy that can take next year’s elections from simple spectacle to possible insanity.
The Texas governor has kept us on our toes so far by not disclosing his plans to run for president. As of now, he’s “considering” it, and because of this, he’ll skip Thursday’s Iowa Straw Poll, which his Republican peers Bachmann, Tim Pawlenty and Ron Paul will attend. Despite his absence, or rather, because of it, write-in votes have been allowed for the first time since the straw poll’s inception in 1979. The amount of write-ins he earns will no doubt foreshadow his popularity should he officially enter the presidential race.
But why should we watch out for Perry? Simply put, he’s the kind of polarizing presence we’ll need in an election cycle full of high stakes, endless figures and no-nonsense candidates. Perry’s politics are the kind of far right antics that will shake us out of our election fatigue.
On Saturday, Perry booked a 71,000-seat stadium in Houston to hold a seven hour prayer-and-fasting session for Fundamentalist Christians. The event was held in order to pray for Pres. Obama in an attempt to save our “nation in crisis.” Perry invited governors from the other 49 states, but only Kansas governor Sam Brownback attended. Overall, attendance disappointed, housing only half the stadium’s capacity. And that wasn’t the first time he turned to prayer to solve problems. Last spring, Perry also urged Texas to pray for three days in order to end a drought. This past May, Perry signed legislation that would force women to get a sonogram and learn about fetuses before getting abortions.
Perry’s emergence as a potential Republican juggernaut may also bring some much needed energy to the election atmosphere. Remember when John McCain announced Sarah Palin as his running mate in 2008? People were getting carried away with Obama’s over-idealistic promises and then Palin waltzed in, all color and sass and suddenly, we had a race! By now, Tea Partier Bachmann is old news. Rick Perry can bring that Palin-esque energy and right wing crazy to next year’s race.
Of course, it’s still early in the 2012 race and there is much drama and debate left to endure. It’s entirely too early to tell how the election will turn out, but with so much on the table (how to fix the economy, nationwide healthcare, proper immigration enforcement) the results could conceivably go either way.
Obama-Romney election will desperately need some color. Here’s to hoping Rick Perry can help crazy it up.