Texas Gov. Rick Perry Makes Play For Tesla As He Raises Funds For California GOP Candidates
WOODLAND (CBS13) — Texas Gov. Rick Perry rolled into Sacramento on Tuesday in a Tesla, urging company officials to open a factory in his home state rather than California.
There was no time for Perry to stop after speaking at a fundraiser for Republican Assemblyman Dan Logue's Congressional campaign. His SUV sped away down a California country road.
Tom Barrios came to see Perry speak and was happy with what he heard.
"Less taxes, better for small business," he said. "Everything he said was completely right on."
Pointing to the state's taxes and regulations, Perry told reporters at the California Capitol that companies like Tesla would be better served in Texas.
He tweeted out a picture of his arrival in Sacramento behind the wheel of a Tesla with the line: "The only way to make this car faster is to make it in Texas."
Perry's visit comes as California lawmakers are aggressively trying to entice the electric car maker to add manufacturing jobs in the state.
"We want to retain Tesla in California," said state Sen. Ted Gaines (R-Rocklin). "We want 6,500 middle-class jobs."
The Texan's Tesla stayed charging in a hotel parking structure while Perry tried to charge up California's state lawmakers about the party's future in a brief meeting.
"Focusing on the economy, jobs, education, things that have worked well for him in Texas, continuing those messages here," said Assemblyman Jeff Gorell (R-Ventura). "It was a little bit of a pep talk, I think he also was using it as an opportunity to get out and meet people as he kind of tests the waters possibly for 2016."
California Gov. Jerry Brown's spokesman sent this statement in response to Perry's criticism of the state's economic climate: "No other state added more jobs than CA in 2013 and last month, the state added another 56K+ jobs."