MEDIA ADVISORY
David Ruth
713-348-6327
druth@rice.edu

Mark Jones available to comment on Perry’s Oklahoma visit

HOUSTON – (Aug. 29, 2011) – Rice University political scientist Mark Jones is available for news media interviews to discuss Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s visit to Oklahoma.

Jones, who is also the chair of political science at Rice and a fellow at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is regularly quoted nationally about Texas politics and has been closely following Perry’s career and his run for the GOP presidential nomination.

To speak with Jones, contact him directly at mpjones@rice.edu. For more information or to schedule the TV or radio studio, contact David Ruth, director of national media relations at Rice University, at druth@rice.edu or 713-348-6327.

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Related materials:

Jones’ opinion piece about Perry for the Texas Tribune titled “Perry as a (Very Conservative) Democrat.” The article puts into context Perry’s political affiliation and career in Texas.

In June, Jones penned a story titled “Rick Perry and the Republican Presidential Nomination” for the Baker Institute’s blog on the Houston Chronicle’s website. In it Jones writes about Perry’s fiscal and social policies in Texas and how they might play in a national run against other candidates for the GOP nomination.

Following Perry’s victory in last year’s Texas gubernatorial election, Jones analyzed the governor’s successful primary and general election campaigns for the Austin American-Statesman. The article, “How Perry Dominated his Re-election Races,” highlights aspects of Perry’s campaign tactics, which the governor’s team would likely replicate in his presidential bid.

Below, Mark Jones comments on Fox News about Rick Perry and George Bush’s relationship and Texas politics. The Financial Times article that follows discusses the Perry “miracle” that bristles some Texans and another article on organizers of the recent prayer rally’s efforts to get the christian vote out in 2012. For more information on Jones or to set up an interview, contact David Ruth at druth@rice.edu or 713-348-6327. Jones is also available via email at mpjones@rice.edu.

Financial Times
By Sheila McNulty
Governor’s claims of ‘miracle’ irk Texans

Mark Jones commented on Gov. Rick Perry’s fundraising efforts in an article in today’s Roll Call. “I think [Perry] is good at getting big-dollar donations; I just don’t know how good he’s going to be at getting the next tier down,” said professor Mark P. Jones, chairman of the political science department at Rice University.

Perry’s Fundraising History Faces New Test
By Eliza Newlin Carney
Roll Call staff writer

Gov. Rick Perry has a Texas-sized reputation as a fundraiser, but it will be put to the test in the Republican presidential primary.

Perry has collected more than $100 million since becoming Texas governor in 2000. His donors there include wealthy real estate, energy and construction executives well-positioned to become “bundlers” who could round up money for him in the primary. As a former chairman of the Republican Governors Association, Perry has donor networks outside of Texas. And many big GOP donors and bundlers have, whether out of dissatisfaction or uncertainty, so far sat out the race. Read the full story here.

To schedule an interview with Jones, contact David Ruth, director of national media relations at Rice, at druth@rice.edu or 713-348-6327.

Amarillo Globe-News | Perry touts job growth, blasts Obama
http://amarillo.com/news/local-news/2011-08-11/perry-touts-job-growth-blasts-obama

Excerpt:
Political scientist Mark Jones, who has followed Perry’s career and analyzes the voting of Texas state legislators, said it looks like Perry will run for president because “everything has fallen into place for him.”

The job-creation theme is helping Perry position himself well against Obama, said Jones, chairman of the political science department at Rice University in Houston.

“He will automatically become one of the front- runners, along with (former Massachusetts Gov.) Mitt Romney,” Jones predicted. “In the mind of many voters, he offers himself as an alternative to President Obama.”

For Perry, winning the Republican nomination for president may be easier than winning the general election, mainly because of the so-called Texas fatigue after eight years of former President George W. Bush, Jones said.

“We in Texas know that he is distinct from Bush,” Jones said. “But the rest of the country doesn’t and he needs to work on defining himself, because if he is the Republican candidate, the Obama people will try to portray him as another Bush.”

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal | Perry touts state, mum on future
http://lubbockonline.com/local-news/2011-08-10/perry-touts-state-mum-future

KIAH-TV | ‘Rick’s Run’
http://www.39online.com/newsfix/kiah-newsfix-ricks-run-story,0,4388954.story

News reports indicate that Texas Gov. Rick Perry will use a speech Saturday in South Carolina to announce that he’s entering the race to become the GOP presidential nominee. Perry also plans to attend a Saturday evening campaign-style event in New Hampshire.

Rice University's Mark Jones

Mark Jones, Rice University’s chair of political science and an expert on Texas politics who has closely followed Perry’s career, is available for interviews on Perry entering the race.

Commenting in today’s Austin American-Statesman, Jones said, “Instead of all the political news being focused on whoever wins in Iowa, (Perry) will dominate the Sunday papers and the Sunday talk shows.”

Jones recently wrote an opinion piece about Perry for the Texas Tribune titled “Perry as a (Very Conservative) Democrat.” The article puts into context Perry’s political affiliation and career in Texas.

In June, Jones penned a story titled “Rick Perry and the Republican Presidential Nomination” for the Baker Institute’s blog on the Houston Chronicle’s website. In it Jones writes about Perry’s fiscal and social policies in Texas and how they might play in a national run against other candidates for the GOP nomination.

Following Perry’s victory in last year’s Texas gubernatorial election, Jones analyzed the governor’s successful primary and general election campaigns for the Austin American-Statesman. The article, “How Perry Dominated his Re-election Races,” highlights aspects of Perry’s campaign tactics, which the governor’s team would likely replicate in the event of a presidential bid.

Jones is available nationwide for media interviews throughout Perry’s run for the GOP presidential nomination. Rice News and Media Relations has set up a webpage that will be updated with current news releases from Jones, along with ongoing commentary, media appearances and news articles. The page is available at www.nationalmedia.blogs.rice.edu.

This CNN interview about the Arizona immigration bill is an example of Jones conducting a live talk-back.

Jones is also the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy’s Fellow in Political Science as well as the Joseph D. Jamail Chair in Latin American Studies at Rice University. For more information on Jones, go here.

For more information or to schedule an interview with Jones, contact David Ruth, director of national media relations at Rice University, at druth@rice.edu or 713-348-6327.