Rick Perry

James Richard "Rick" Perry (born March 4, 1950) is an American politician who is the 14th and current United States Secretary of Energy, serving in the Cabinet of Donald Trump. Prior to becoming Secretary of Energy, Perry served as the 47th Governor of Texas from December 2000 to January 2015. Perry was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998 and assumed the governorship in December 2000 when Governor George W. Bush resigned to become president. Perry is the longest-serving governor in Texas history. Perry was elected governor of Texas three times and is the fourth governor of Texas (after Allan Shivers, Price Daniel and John Connally) to have served three or more terms. At the time he left office, Perry had held office longer than every other then-current U.S. governor except Terry Branstad of Iowa. Perry ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for president in 2012 and 2016. President Donald Trump nominated Perry as Secretary of Energy. On March 2, 2017, Perry was confirmed by the United States Senate in a 62–37 vote.