Rants against “government employees” and “career politicians” have been a staple of Republican campaign rhetoric for years. Even though he is paid more by taxpayers than any other governor in the country, no one rails harder against government spending and government employees than Rick Perry.
However, despite attempts to portray themselves as anti-government outsiders, Rick Perry and Texas Republicans are setting the standard for entrenched, out-of-touch, government dependent, professional politicians.
Texas Republicans make up an entrenched political class of state payroll lifers
It might surprise some observers – and Tea Party activists – to know that not only has Rick Perry been on the Texas payroll for over 28 years, the other five top GOP state office-holders have been drawing a state paycheck for between 14 and 18 years and counting.
The six top Texas Republican state office-holders have been on the state payroll a combined 114 years – longer than the top state office-holders in any other state. In just the past five years, Texans have paid them more than $3.6 million – enough to pay at least fifteen Texas teachers over the same period of time.
Rick Perry is 63 years old and has spent more than half his adult life on the state payroll. He, along with the five entrenched Republican incumbents, make up an out-of-touch political class supported by Texas taxpayers. Here’s the breakdown:
| State officeholder | Years on Texas Payroll |
|---|---|
| Governor Rick Perry | 28 years, 4 months |
| Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson | 16 years, 4 months |
| Attorney General Greg Abbott | 18 years, 4 months |
| Comptroller Susan Combs | 18 years, 4 months |
| Ag Commissioner Todd Staples | 18 years, 4 months |
| Lt. Governor David Dewhurst | 14 years, 4 months |
| TOTAL | 114 years |
