Republican Presidential Candidate Rick Perry Makes Tulsa Stop

NewsOn6.com

TULSA, Oklahoma -- Texas Governor Rick Perry joined Senator Jim Inhofe for a joint news conference in Tulsa Monday.

Perry focused on Oklahoma's oil and natural gas industries. He said he would roll back President Obama's regulations on energy companies.

He says deregulation will create jobs and make America less dependent on foreign oil.

"Those are our sources of energy. The jobs that could be created, the powerful impact economically for this country is almost untold in how substantial it could be," Governor Perry said.

Governor Perry says adding resources to the energy industry here in Oklahoma will reduce our dependency on foreign oil.

"I don't think there's a more important area for our country to focus," he said.

He called foreign oil a factor that's contributed to the wars America's fighting in the Middle East.

The Governor also spoke about the rising number of troops who have given their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan -- and made them a promise.

"I will never send our young men and women into places where America's interests are not clearly defined," Perry said.

And to those here at home -- he addressed a growing frustration with Washington politics.

"Americans don't believe our country is in decline, but that rather Washington is in decline," he said.

Governor Perry promised, as President, he would lower taxes and give more control to state governments.

"I want to go to Washington, D.C., and try to make it as inconsequential in people's lives as I can," Perry said.

Before Perry took the podium, Senator Inhofe threw his support behind the Texas Governor to win the race for the White House.

Perry announced his candidacy for president of the United States earlier this month while speaking before a South Carolina crowd.

The Republican candidate is a graduate of Texas A & M University who served in the United States Air Force. He is the 47th governor of Texas.

Governor Perry's next campaign stop: Oklahoma City, where he'll speak at a private fundraiser.

On the heels of Rick Perry's visit, Vice-President Joe Biden is also coming to Tulsa.

He'll be downtown Tuesday for a fundraiser to support President Obama's re-election campaign.

08/29/2011 Related Story: Vice President Joe Biden To Visit Tulsa Tuesday