Rick Perry to Democrats Planning Texas Invasion: 'Bring It On'

A spokeswoman for Texas Republican Gov. Rick Perry told Breitbart News the state’s GOP isn’t afraid of efforts from national Democrats to descend on his state and turn the longtime Republican stronghold blue.

“They can bring it on,” Perry spokeswoman Catherine Frazier told Breitbart News. “We are well aware of the Ds’ wishes to have more of a presence in Texas, and it’s no surprise they’d want to share the credit of Texas’ success story, but they will be hard-pressed to make much progress with the proven success conservative policies have had in our state. Ironically, the very reason Texas is the economic powerhouse it’s been is because of conservatives’ successful efforts to minimize liberal influence in our state. There’s a reason why red states are faring better in this lousy national economy.”

President Barack Obama’s former national field director Jeremy Bird plans to, through a new organization called “Battleground Texas,” target Hispanic voters in the Lone Star state to swing it in favor of Democrats. Texas has for a long time been a Republican Party stronghold, and its 38 electoral college votes are crucial to any GOP presidential candidate’s run for office. If Texas becomes a battleground or Democratic Party state, Republican presidential candidates may be in dire danger. They’d have to spend time and money campaigning in the state, taking their focus off states that are already hotly contested.

“With its diversity and size, Texas should always be a battleground state where local elections are vigorously contested and anyone who wants to be our commander in chief has to compete and show they reflect Texas values. Yet for far too long, the state’s political leaders, both in Austin and in Washington, D.C., have failed to stand for Texans,” Bird said. “Over the next several years, Battleground Texas will focus on expanding the electorate by registering more voters — and as importantly, by mobilizing Texans who are already registered voters but who have not been engaged in the democratic process.”

Perry won’t have any of that in his state. Frazier said Democrats can try to organize in Texas all they want to, but that their principles don’t work. Voters just won’t go for liberal policies, she said, as long as conservatives like Perry continue to articulate why those liberal policies are economically detrimental.

“Gov. Perry has remained vigilant in working with Republican state leadership to ensure we don’t back down,” Frazier said. “He understands we cannot rest on our laurels and hope to continue succeeding. We need to remain nimble, innovative and aggressive in the effort to hold the line on spending, keep taxes low, and maintain a climate where job creators know they can come, take a risk and have a good chance of reaping a reward. As long as Republicans continue to stay true to their principles and keep a steady focus on communicating why conservative policies are the best route to opportunity and prosperity, we will win the argument.”