AUSTIN, Texas — Rick Perry is running for Texas governor, but it’s not the former governor of Texas.
The Texas Tribune reports a man named Ricky Lynn Perry from Springtown, Texas, filed to run for Texas governor as a Republican. On the filing form, he listed his name, “Rick Perry,” as the way he wants his name to appear on the ballot. According to his LinkedIn profile he lists his current job as senior desktop technician for Lockheed Martin.
Dec. 13 is the deadline to file to run for office in the March primary. Gov. Greg Abbott is running for his third term as governor and is facing several primary challengers, most notably from businessman and former state senator Don Huffines and former Florida congressman and former Texas GOP Chairman Allen West.
Abbott was elected to the office in 2014 and was re-elected in 2018. He served as Texas attorney general from 2002 to 2015 and was a member of the Texas Supreme Court from 1996 to 2001.
Although Abbott won’t be facing his predecessor in the 2022 primary election, it’s unclear if Texas voters will be thrown off by the well-known name on the ballot.
Rick Perry was governor of Texas from 2000 to 2015. After a failed presidential campaign in 2012, he served on former President Donald Trump’s cabinet as secretary of energy.