Endorsements in political campaigns are often overblown in their importance, and non-endorsements even more so. This, however, may well be the exception:
The Texas Farm Bureau -- which has always endorsed Rick Perry in the past -- voted [Wednesday] not to endorse anybody in the governor's race. The decision by the bureau's political committee is a victory of sorts for Democrat Bill White. Perry was state agriculture commissioner -- and the Farm Bureau's Friends of Agriculture fund endorsed him twice as the state's agriculture chief and in his last two races for governor. Since it began making endorsements in 1990, the bureau has always picked the Republican at the top of the ticket.
The divorce between Perry and the Texas Farm Bureau has been percolating for some time. The Bureau endorsed Kay Bailey Hutchison in the GOP primary against Perry, possibly irked by a 2007 veto by Perry of an eminent domain bill that was opposed by the state business community.
But it is one thing for the Bureau to endorse one Republican over another. It is quite another to turn their back on the GOP nominee in what has become an immensely competitive general election. This is an exceptionally clear signal of the deep level of disenchantment that even some of Perry's nominal allies have with his leadership (or lack thereof) in Texas.
Perry's decision to become a national political figure, perhaps in advance of a presidential run, seems to have cost him dearly here, as well. Consider the following snippet from Wayne Slater's article on the subject:
A Perry campaign spokesman dismissed the Farm Bureau as "an insurance company that supported the (federal) bailout." Avoiding the bureau's top issue of eminent domain at its summer convention, Perry delivered a patriotic speech underscoring anti-Washington and pro-states rights themes.
It has been clear for some time Perry is trying to audition for President while running for Governor of Texas. If he isn't careful, he won't even be Governor when the 2012 presidential sweepstakes come around.