Get PolitiFact in your inbox.

Smoking out Rick Perry, David Dewhurst and Joe Straus

Republican leaders Joe Straus, Rick Perry and David Dewhurst (May 2011 photo by Rodolfo Gonzalez, Austin American-Statesman). Republican leaders Joe Straus, Rick Perry and David Dewhurst (May 2011 photo by Rodolfo Gonzalez, Austin American-Statesman).

Republican leaders Joe Straus, Rick Perry and David Dewhurst (May 2011 photo by Rodolfo Gonzalez, Austin American-Statesman).

By W. Gardner Selby January 7, 2013

The state’s Republican leaders--Gov. Rick Perry, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and House Speaker Joe Straus--have each met the Texas Truth-O-Meter.

Perry, who ran for president in 2010, has been checked more than 100 times, his sidekicks/compadres less often.

A few times--a dozen times in Perry’s case--the results have been smoky (peek at some examples to the right or click to PolitiFact National’s dissection of Perry’s claim that Barack Obama is a socialist or its look at a Perry claim about the federal government not engaging in border security.)

As Texas lawmakers settle in for the 2013 legislative session, peruse Perry’s full PolitiFact report card here; his claims have come out True or Mostly True more than 30 times. See Dewhurst’s report card here and Straus’s admittedly brief report card here.

And remember: Email or call us, at 512-445-3644, if you hear something that might merit closer review.

We'll be seeing some of you at the Capitol.

Sign Up For Our Weekly Newsletter

Our Sources

See Truth-O-Meter report cards.

Browse the Truth-O-Meter

More by W. Gardner Selby

Smoking out Rick Perry, David Dewhurst and Joe Straus