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Perry Predicts Win Without Runoff

By Shelley Kofler, KERA News

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-888057.mp3

Dallas, TX – Republican candidates for governor are blitzing across the state, nailing down support before tomorrow's primary election. Last week KERA reporters hit the campaign trail with Hutchison and Medina. Today Shelley Kofler talks with Governor Rick Perry and follows his campaign to a meeting of the Texas State Rifle Association.

Toting long guns and handguns to sell or trade, members of the Texas Rifle Association allowed their weapons to be checked for live ammo as they packed into a conference center in Mesquite.

Gun owners here, like Susan Stroud of Southlake, talk passionately about the U.S. Constitution and the second amendment's right to bear arms.

Stroud: I do support the second amendment and especially as a Texan it's very important cause we have our own way of doing things here

Ron Anderson of Longview is worried government will place new restrictions on gun ownership

Anderson: A lot of our rights are being taken away like guns

This is a ready-made crowd for Governor Rick Perry's promise to defend individual freedoms.

Governor: Howdy.

Perry tells gun owners he holds a license to carry a concealed handgun, and the concealed handgun law is one of the great success stories in Texas.

Perry: It keeps our state safer because we have men and women like you who have been properly screened, properly trained and who are carrying their weapons with them.

In the final week of campaigning, Perry has emphasized traditional conservative issues like low taxes, border security and anti-abortion efforts. But increasingly he's sounding like the Tea Party libertarians who quote the U.S Constitution, the tenth amendment and state's rights.

In an interview with KERA we asked Perry why he's embraced that message.

Perry: Americans across the states are really tired of a centralized government telling the states how to run their business when most people think and know that left to their own devices states could be more competitive

Reporter: What role to you think the tea party folks have paid in this election?

Perry: I think they were frustrated and they saw an administration and Congress that scared them. I'm tickled to death Tea Parties got put together and people stood up and said hey Washington what are you doing.

Just where the Tea Party activists will vote and how they'll affect the republican race for governor is unclear.

Reporter: I know your great hope is that you'll win this outright. Do you'll have a run off?

Perry: I think we will win without a runoff

A day before the election, Perry believes he's sold his message.

Perry to gun owners: I believe the right to bear arms is an essential American freedom.

Email Shelley Kofler