Has Rick Perry ever explained why he switched from being a Democrat to being a Republican?

As someone who lived almost thirty years in Texas, perhaps I can clarify the issue. The Democratic Party that controlled Texas for 150 years was more conservative than half the current Republican Party nationwide. Just a few decades back, everyone in Texas was a Democrat. I was raised a Democrat and married into a long-time, Yellow-dog Democratic family in West Texas. We were all conservatives except for a couple of rebellious hippie types residing in Austin, which at that time was becoming the liberal capital of the South.

As the Texas Democratic party was slowly taken over by that liberal movement emanating from Austin and increasingly, Houston, millions of conservative Texas Democrats changed parties to remain true to their conservative beliefs. Rather than being cause to question Perry's authenticity, his switch is a testament to the solidity of his conservative principles. As I and so many other Southerners are fond of saying, "We didn't leave the Democratic Party, the Party left us," which is exactly what happened to Rick Perry. o_O

Many southerners have switched during the last 50 years. The Republican Party embraces the social and fiscal conservatism that the Democrat Party now shuns.

My father-in-law, a Democrat until age 72, put on his suit and registered as a Republican the day he discovered that Bill Clinton had sex with an intern in the oval office. I do not know what Perry's reasons were, specifically.

My guess is he could see the writing on the wall.

While even today he holds largely the same positions he had back then he nonetheless HAD TO leave the party or get thrown out.

He want's America to be more liberal. He doesn't want to END America and therefore can no longer be a Democrat.