It’d be hard for him to say no. Romney, Pawlenty, and Huntsman will split the centrist vote, so there’s an opportunity on the right for a prominent conservative to swoop in and consolidate the base. That’s what Palin’s going to try to do, leveraging her higher name recognition to swamp Bachmann and Cain in Iowa, but Perry would be a major challenge for her. In fact, given his record on jobs, he may even pull some votes from the centrists.
Others have made the Perry call over the past few weeks, though I wondered yesterday if the lack of name recognition caused his terrible numbers here.
His record in Texas speaks for itself: the Lone Star state added three-quarters of a million jobs in the past decade while the rest of us flounder in a recession. Unreal. His pro-life bona fides aren’t shabby, either, as he signed a sonogram requirement for women seeking abortions into law yesterday. Witness how to make a liberal’s head explode:
Perry said the measure will save “countless lives” by discouraging women from getting an abortion.
The governor had declared the matter emergency legislation and has already officially signed the bill. Tuesday’s formal signing ceremony at the Capitol brought together anti-abortion activists to celebrate the passage of the law after working four years on the measure.
“These people worked hard, with long hours of prayer,” Perry said of the activists and lawmakers who sponsored the legislation. “Even in Texas, where we pass the toughest laws in the nation, tens of thousands of lives are lost … this is a tragedy we must all work together to stop.”
Yeehaw! Sign me up, please. Wouldn’t you love to see him debate Mr. I-wouldn’t-punish-my-daughters-with-a-baby?
Politicaljunkie Mom 
This could get exciting. I knew there was a reason we want to move to Texas.
I have many friends who live there and love it. And it could be very exciting if he enters the race.