Texas Gov. Perry Unlikely To Seek Presidency

During his re-election to become Texas' longest serving governor, rumors swirled that Rick Perry was gearing up to run for president in 2012. After all, he has a book Fed Up: Our Fight to Save America From Washington hitting shelves in a couple of weeks, and future candidates typically use book tours to test out presidential messaging.

But a GOP source tells our Suzi Parker that Perry may not be eyeing a White House run at all but setting himself up as a possible vice-presidential candidate by raising his profile with an anti-Washington book. Perry takes a long look at overtaxing and overregulation by Washington in the book, which has a plug by potential 2012 prez candidate Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and a forward by Newt Gingrich – another likely presidential candidate.

Gingrich, meanwhile, could be the surprise winner from Tuesday's GOP wave election that put the Republicans in charge of the House. Republican pollster Bill McInturff found that of all the Tea Party advocates, including Sarah Palin and South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint, Republicans who consider themselves Tea Party advocates say Gingrich speaks for them. [See photos of Sarah Palin and her family.]

"Amongst the Tea Party people who are the hard core Tea Party people, the number one answer was Newt Gingrich. and Governor Palin was also in the top, But amongst the one-third of the party that is the Tea Party purists, former Speaker Gintrich is their number one preferred spokesman, along with Palin," he says.

But Palin fans don't fret. He says that she also is considered the top spokesperson for Republicans who also share values with the Tea Party. Those who are Republicans who don't associate with the Tea Party say Mitt Romney speaks for them.

• Check out our editorial cartoons on the Tea Party.
• Check out our editorial cartoons on Sarah Palin.