Rick Perry

James Richard "Rick" Perry (born March 4, 1950) is the 47th and current Governor of Texas, having held the office since December 2000. He is a member of the Republican Party. Elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998, he assumed office as governor in December 2000 when Governor George W. Bush resigned to become President of the United States. Perry was elected to full terms in 2002, 2006 and 2010, an unprecedented feat in Texas political history. With a tenure in office to date of &000000000000001000000010 years, &0000000000000216000000216 days, Perry is the longest continuously serving current U.S. governor, and the second longest serving current U.S. governor, after Terry Branstad of Iowa. Perry served as Chairman of the Republican Governors Association in 2008 (succeeding Sonny Perdue of Georgia), and in 2011 will once again serve as RGA Chairman.