Perry Calls SC the State That Picks Presidents

Texas Gov. Rick Perry told more than 30 people at Lizard's Thicket in Lexington Wednesday morning that South Carolina picks presidents, continuing his push for votes after finishing last in the New Hampshire primary.

Local supporters and voters still undecided agree that South Carolina is the place to be.

Kathy Randall, a 'very conservative Republican' from Lexington, said Perry stands for the issues she supports and that he still has a fighting chance in South Carolina.

"I'm a little disappointed in the first two states, but not really surprised," Randall said. "I think with enough people backing him in South Carolina, I think he can pull out of this."

Wilma Storey, of the Lexington Dawnbusters, a local group that meets weekly to share information and ideas about local, state and national politics, said she hasn’t decided on her candidate of choice but that all of the GOP presidential candidates have a good shot in South Carolina.

“I think Perry has as good a chance as any of them,” Storey said. “South Carolina is not going to be led by any media or any polls. We’re our own people. You got to remember most people in South Carolina really do not get engaged until the last week or so.”

“I was very impressed with his talk this morning. He laid it all out. Very clear, very precise. “

Perry staying true to form told listeners that an outsider is the one that needed to be in Washington, D.C.

He also talked about the elimination of the U.S. Department of Education, job creation, and other plans to reduce the federal government's involvement in individual states.

Perry was once a frontrunner and is now trying to regain ground with multiple stops around the state this week.

On Thursday, Perry will be in Blythewood at Lizard's Thicket, 711-1 University Village Drive at 9 a.m. before heading to other stops in Orangeburg, Summerville and Walterboro.