Former Rep. Martin Frost: Perry Played The Race Card For First Statewide Race

Former Texas Congressman Martin Frost says Perry used race to get himself elected as Texas’ agriculture commissioner in 1990.

[Karl] Rove saved Perry’s campaign for agriculture commissioner with another race-tainted ad. He put together a TV commercial featuring film footage of [Jim] Hightower (pictured) and the Rev. Jesse Jackson, as the voiceover said, “Does Agriculture Commissioner Jim Hightower share your values?”

Hightower had supported Jackson’s 1988 campaign for president. The ad was run heavily in the rural, white parts of the state.

Those of us who were veterans of Southern politics of that era immediately understood what Perry was saying with the “share your values” line. This was racism pure and simple, circa 20 years ago in the South.

I was first elected to Congress in 1978 and served throughout the 1980s and ’90s. No one had to explain the significance of that ad to me.

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.