--- title: Rick Perry Endorses Ted Cruz for President description: Rick Perry says Cruz is the most "consistent conservative" to lead the Republican Party in 2016 canonical: https://time.com/4192379/rick-perry-ted-cruz-endorsement/ author: Maya Rhodan article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-01-25T15:08:54.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-19T07:46:40.302Z article:section: Politics og:title: Perry Endorses Cruz for President og:description: "Ted Cruz is by far the most consistent conservative in that crowd." og:url: https://time.com/4192379/rick-perry-ted-cruz-endorsement/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf1e197c0b5682307/69887a762dce01830d9e77ee/487789906.jpg?branch=production&width=594&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 594 og:image:height: 334 og:image:alt: Rick Perry Drops Out Of Presidential Race At Candidate Forum In St. Louis og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Perry Endorses Cruz for President twitter:description: "Ted Cruz is by far the most consistent conservative in that crowd." twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf1e197c0b5682307/69887a762dce01830d9e77ee/487789906.jpg?branch=production&width=594&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Perry Endorses Cruz for President > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, three times a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. by [Maya Rhodan](https://time.com/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Jan 25, 2016 3:08 PM UTC  2016 Republican Presidential Nominee Governor Rick Perry (TX) speaks to the crowd during the Eagle Forum's Eagle Council Event at the Marriott St. Louis Airport Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri on September 11, 2015\. Michael B. Thomas—Getty Images 2016 Republican Presidential Nominee Governor Rick Perry (TX) speaks to the crowd during the Eagle Forum's Eagle Council Event at the Marriott St. Louis Airport Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri on September 11, 2015\. Michael B. Thomas—Getty Images Michael B. Thomas—Getty Images by [Maya Rhodan](https://time.com/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Jan 25, 2016 3:08 PM UTC Former Texas Governor and two-time presidential candidate Rick Perry says Sen. Ted Cruz is the [Republican party’s best bet](http://www.politico.com/story/2016/01/rick-perry-endorses-ted-cruz-218170#ixzz3yFnCngzt) for the presidential nomination. “Of those individuals who have a chance to win the Republican primary, at this juncture, from my perspective, Ted Cruz is by far the most consistent conservative in that crowd,” Perry told [_Politico_](http://www.politico.com/story/2016/01/rick-perry-endorses-ted-cruz-218170#ixzz3yFnCngzt), in what sounds like a roundabout dig on front-runner Donald Trump. “And that appears to be down to two people.” Perry was vying for the Republican nomination before dropping out of the race in September. At the time he called the voluminous Republican field “the best in a generation” and stepped aside amid low poll numbers and fundraising. Ahead of the Iowa caucus, Perry is hopping on the trail to campaign for Cruz this week, making stops in Des Moines on Wednesday. _Politico_ notes that though Perry has long championed the experience one gains as a Governor over that of a first-term Senator, executive experience isn’t on the electorate’s collective mind. **Read More:** [_Ted Cruz’s Terrible Tuesday_](http://time.com/4186310/ted-cruz-terry-branstad-sarah-palin/) “Gov. Scott Walker, Bobby Jindal, Rick Perry, Jeb’s barely making an impact out there — those are very skilled, very successful, very experienced governors,” he said. “But the electorate doesn’t want that. That’s why we have elections, why we democratically select leaders.” Perry’s endorsement comes after a [rough week for Cruz](http://time.com/4186310/ted-cruz-terry-branstad-sarah-palin/), who was blasted by Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad the same day Republican candidate Donald Trump nabbed an endorsement from former Alaska Gov. 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