A Rick Perry Comeback?

Anyone who follows GOP politics on Twitter can see that there’s a resurgence of support behind Rick Perry. The #RevisitPerry and #PerryReboot hashtags are abuzz with activity, and the other options- Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney– have unpalatable big-government records.

Glen Asbury posed this question to me and others a few days ago:

I was still thinking through what a Perry comeback scenario might look like and wanted some general thoughts.

Well… I think it’s already happening naturally. The fervor I mentioned above isn’t the result of unexplainable phenomenon, it’s a natural post-2010 reaction to the top two candidates being long-time big-government supporters.

The question, then, is how to capitalize on this surge. My answer is simple: Message!

The message needs to be simple but ideally suited for the current environment: Texas’ economic performance. The economic success in Texas needs to pushed constantly. This is Perry’s strongest point, it’s something Gingrich and Romney can’t match, and it’s Obama’s weakest point (to make an understatement!).

Stay off of every other subject, and stick to that winning message.

Every advertisement, every public appearance, every TV commentator proxy, every contact about Perry between fans and undecideds needs to reflect that message. Social issues are a divisive distraction. What needs to be pushed over and over is his knowledge of what is needed- and not needed- to promote economic growth.