A new poll shows a majority of Texans believe the criminal charges against Governor Rick Perry related to his indictment for coercion and abuse of power are strictly political. The poll also points out how the indictment has not changed how people view the governor.
Since the time that Governor Perry was indicted, his legal team, working in conjunction with Perry’s political action committee and the Governor’s office, has painted the charge as a fundamentally political act. And the Texas Lyceum’s Josh Blank says their recent survey shows that sentiment is shared by a majority of Texans.
The survey says that 72% of Texans feel the charges were political, while only 28% said that they are "legitimate criminal charges.”
Since the charges were filed, Governor Perry has used the indictment to his political advantage, running online ads and selling t-shirts with Perry’s mug shot. He also held a pep rally outside the jail and appeared on a number of national talk shows. Blank says that seems to be working.
Blank said, “So if you’ve kind of been watching this for awhile and Perry’s message on this has really clearly resonated with the public or at least become the understood series of events.”
The poll also asked participants whether they felt the Governor was guilty of the charges. It showed 28% believe he is innocent, 22% believe he is guilty, and 43% believe it’s too soon to tell. The report also points out that Governor Perry’s 55% approval rating following the indictment has remained unchanged.
