Bud Kennedy thinks Rick sounds like Ron Paul these days...

Bud writes about how Rick is sounding a lot like Ron Paul these days (link). Excerpt follows...

Maybe I’m confused.

I thought the governor of Texas was Rick Perry.

But he’s starting to sound like another R.P.: Ron Paul.

The more Perry talks about tea parties, states’ rights, limited government and defying Washington, the more he seems to be playing for the 70,000 Texas voters who backed Paul, a Republican U.S. representative, for president.

[SNIP]

State Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, a former gubernatorial candidate who recently endorsed Perry, said the governor is going after both Republicans and independents.

"He was criticized for talking about secession, but then he went up in the polls 15 or 20 points," Berman said Friday by phone. The more Perry talks about bucking Washington, Berman said, "it’ll help him."

In recent weeks, Perry lined up key endorsements from Berman, an immigration-enforcement advocate, and from pro-life radio host and state Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston.

Then there’s Perry’s speeches at TEA ("Taxed Enough Already") rallies.

"Those are the people who are going to vote in the next election," Berman said. "They’re looking for somebody to carry their movement forward. And most of these people are anti-anything-coming-out-of-Washington."

Rick is cornering the market on hardcore Leo Berman type conservatives in the race, but I think it is wrong for people to assume that bourgeois suburban Republicans don't go for this anti Washington stuff too. Kay's strategy of going after Democrats and independents is not especially smart.