Following the Houston Police Officers' Union endorsement of Gov. Rick Perry over liberal trial lawyer Bill White, KPRC-TV Houston reporter Mary Benton detailed the significance of this endorsement in her report, “Houston Police Endorse Gov. Rick Perry Over Bill White.” (Report below and available online at http://2onthebeat.wordpress.com/2010/10/07/houston-police-endorse-gov-ri...)

“For years, liberal Bill White refused to listen to police officers who begged him to lift Houston’s sanctuary city policy,” said Texans for Rick Perry spokesman Mark Miner. “Bill White’s support for sanctuary cities is clearly out of touch with the beliefs and values of law enforcement and the people of Texas.”

“Houston Police Endorse Gov. Rick Perry Over Bill White”
By Mary Benton, KPRC-TV Houston

Sanctuary City. Police Officer Shortage. A Police Chief from outside of HPD.

Leaders of the Houston Police Officers’ Union said those were the main issues that cost former Houston Mayor Bill White the organization’s endorsement.

On Thursday, HPOU announced that it would back Republican Incumbent Governor Rick Perry.

As he accepted the groups’ endorsement, Perry was surrounded by several HPD officers, including Joslyn Johnson. Her husband, Officer Rodney Johnson, was killed by an illegal immigrant during a traffic stop.

Governor Perry vowed to ask the legislature in January to take “emergency action to abolish sanctuary cities.”

Losing the endorsement of the 5-thousand member organization is a blow to White’s campaign.

He was also snubbed by the Houston Professional Firefighters Association.

All candidates want to appear strong on public safety issues.

Some voters around the state will also wonder why Houston’s former Mayor isn’t being endorsed by police officers and firefighters who served under him.

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