This Presidential election is shaping up to be so much fun. Not only do we have high-quality field of Republican candidates, but each one of those candidates can run against the destructive liberal policies of President Barack Obama. Knowing all of the statistics about how hard it is for the same party to win three consecutive Presidential elections, I’m convinced the GOP has a very good chance of picking up the White House.

As for the Republican field, we have so many excellent candidates in the running. Believe me, my decision wasn’t easy to make. There are many other candidates I would have been completely happy to support, and all of the candidates have impressive resumes. I am positive that any one of the GOP candidates would do a great job as President. But at the end of the day, I had to make a decision on who to support.

Today, I’ve made that decision. I realize it is still very early, and some candidates haven’t even officially announced. But I have considered all of the candidates – those already in the race and those that are planning to announce.

I personally feel that leadership is one of the most important qualities for a Presidential candidate. Sure someone might be a slick politician who can win the election, but can they govern the country and lead the free world? That’s why I’ve chosen a Governor. I had several US Senators on my list of finalists, but I strongly felt that our next President needed executive experience. I also didn’t want a candidate who was one-sided, i.e. someone who had strong views on economic issues, but was socially liberal, or vice versa.

The person I’ve chosen is a true conservative. He was the second-longest serving Governor in US history, and he is someone who knows how to run a prosperous economy and create a stable society. He’s a bold leader who doesn’t make his decisions based on opinion polls. He has a record of doing the right thing, regardless of whether the right thing was popular.

I’m talking about former Texas Governor Rick Perry.

I know, I know, he has a bad memory when it comes to alphabet-soup government departments. But considering that he had undergone major back surgery weeks before, and was taking strong painkillers at the time of that infamous debate, I’m willing to forgive him for one moment of weakness. Because I’ve seen the way he governed Texas, and “weakness” doesn’t even belong in the same sentence with Rick Perry.

I wanted a candidate with a record to run on, and that’s exactly what Governor Perry has. Consider this:

– While Perry was Governor, Texas added 2.2 million new private sector jobs. That’s the most of any Presidential candidate, and it was four times more jobs than the rest of the country combined gained in that time. I’ll repeat that: Under Perry’s leadership, Texas gained four times more jobs than the rest of the nation combined. If that’s not impressive, I don’t know what is.

– Those jobs weren’t all minimum-wage jobs, either. Jobs in the upper-middle wage quartile grew 25%, compared to virtually no gain in that category nationally. And in case you’re wondering, only 13% of those jobs were in the oil and gas industry.

– Governor Perry helped Texas become the top exporting state in the nation, and also the top high-tech exporting state.

– The real GDP grew 55% while Perry was in office. The per-capita GDP increased $9, 250.

– Perry cut taxes 75 times while in office, including the largest tax cut in Texas history.

– While cutting taxes, he also reduced spending 11.5% since 2005, and ensured that Texas maintained the top credit rating from all three agencies.

But as I said earlier, Rick Perry is not a one-sided candidate. His economic record is stellar, but he accomplished so much more. Governor Perry is the only veteran in the Presidential race, and he did much to help his fellow veterans in Texas. He signed multiple pieces of legislation to help vets with mental health issues. He also established programs to help veterans transition out of the military and into private sector jobs.

Governor Rick Perry also has an excellent record in the area of criminal justice reform. He created drug courts for non-violent offenders that focused on helping drug addicts recover, not punishing them. He closed three prisons without replacing them. As a result of these two things alone, Governor Perry saved the taxpayers 2 billion dollars. And consider this: the crime rate in Texas plunged 24% to its lowest level since 1968. Governor Perry obviously knows what he’s doing.

Rick Perry is also a staunch defender of the Second Amendment. He’s an avid hunter and gun enthusiast who signed dozens of pro-gun bills. These bills included establishing the Castle Doctrine, improving access to concealed carry permits, and creating the position of School Marshal to defend students from school shootings. He also signed bills to protect firearm manufacturers from frivolous lawsuits.

Impressed yet? If not, I’ll keep going.

In terms of education, Governor Perry has a lot to brag about. He banned Common Core from Texas schools. He pushed legislation to increase school choice and promote homeschooling. Under Perry’s leadership, the High School graduation rate rose for six straight years. When he left office, it was the second-highest in the nation. The graduation rate for Hispanics and African-Americans was the highest in the nation by over 10%.

Let’s examine healthcare, which is something that desperately needs reforming on the national level. Governor Perry pushed significant tort reform, which led to the number of medical malpractice lawsuits dropping by 2/3 between 2003 and 2011. Over 3,000 new doctors were certified during this period. Governor Perry also refused to expand Medicaid and set up a state exchange under Obamacare.

Finally, Governor Perry is a strong social conservative. I’m convinced that he will fight for my values, and that was one of my biggest factors in choosing a candidate. He’s one of the most pro-life candidates in the field. He opposes abortion in all cases except to save the life of the mother. He pushed a law banning abortions after 20 weeks. He called the Texas legislature into a special session to pass a bill requiring abortion clinic doctors to have admitting privileges at a local hospital. He also signed bills increasing funding for abortion alternatives like adoption agencies. He signed a law requiring parental consent for a minor to get an abortion, and he also signed a law requiring women to have a sonogram before proceeding with an abortion. Governor Perry is also a strong defender of traditional marriage. He championed a Constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman, which passed with 70% of the vote. He has vowed to only appoint Justices which will uphold the traditional definition of marriage.

Well, if that record doesn’t impress you, I don’t know what will. I care about a candidate’s record, and it’s very clear that Governor Rick Perry has one of the best records in the field. America needs a bold, courageous leader, and I’m convinced Governor Perry is that leader. As I tweeted a few weeks ago, I can’t wait for that moment in a Presidential debate when Governor Perry asks Hillary how many jobs she created. Rick Perry creates a clear contrast between conservative principles that lead to prosperity and another four years of failed liberal policies. I’m convinced he’s the best candidate, and I hope the American people will agree.