Perry, Undecided on 2016 Run, Visits N.H., S.C.

Gov. Rick Perry had a busy week, visiting New Hampshire and South Carolina — both early presidential primary states — while remaining coy about his plans to mount a second run for the White House in 2016.

In Manchester, N.H., on Monday, Perry indicated that he wouldn't make a decision on whether to run for another six months at least. “May or June would be my guess when I’ll make a decision on whether I’m going to go forward,” Perry said, as reported by the New Hampshire Journal.

He also was reticent in handicapping which way he was leaning on a run. “I’m preparing," Perry said. "I think that’s the best answer I can give you. In the next five to six months I will make that decision and appropriately so.”

On Tuesday, Perry was in Myrtle Beach, S.C., speaking at a Veterans Day ceremony. At an appearance at an area chamber of commerce event, he told the audience, "You'll see me again."

A visit to a gun manufacturer, PTR Industries, meanwhile, generated headlines on social media when it was reported that Perry, a noted gun enthusiast, refused to handle any rifles.

"Perry wouldn’t handle the rifles at Tuesday’s ceremony because he’s immersed in a court case in Texas, where he’s been charged with abuse of official power and coercion of a public servant," wrote Steve Jones of the Myrtle Beach Sun News.

Perry's concealed handgun license was suspended when he was indicted on two felony charges related to his veto of funding for the Travis County District Attorney's public integrity unit. Also, he can't buy any more guns or purchase ammunition while he remains under indictment.

How this prohibits him from touching a rifle isn't clear to us, though.

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And for those of you on Ted Cruz watch ... The Daily Mail reports that a super PAC called Stand for Principle has been organized with the intent of raising money for a presidential run by the junior Texas U.S. senator. The PAC is led by Maria Strollo Zack, identified by The Daily Mail as a Cruz supporter.

"We'd like to be $50 million by the end of March 2016, going into Super Tuesday," she told The Daily Mail.

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State Rep. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, has rounded up another endorsement for her candidacy for Senate District 18. This time, the backing comes from Steve Hotze's Conservative Republicans of Texas.

With the election of the current occupant of SD-18, Katy Republican Glenn Hegar, as the state's next comptroller, a special election will be needed to fill the seat. The timing, though, is up to Hegar who can step down anytime between now and January when he will be sworn in to his new job.

Two other Republicans have announced for the race, Gary Gates and Charles Gregory.

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Midland Republican Tom Craddick is again filing legislation to ban texting while driving. Presumably, the veteran lawmaker is hoping that a change in governor might spell success for his initiative this time around. In 2011, a ban made it to Perry's desk, but the legislation fell victim to the veto pen.

Craddick's effort this year is getting early support from insurer State Farm, which also signaled support for a ban on cellphone use by drivers younger than 18.

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Newly elected Land Commissioner George P. Bush has named the members of his transition team, according to The Associated Press.

The team is headed by Trey Newton, who advised the campaign. The other members are J.R. Hernandez, Brittany Eck, Ann Isdal and Hector Valle.