Former Gov. Sonny Perdue said Monday he would back a Newt Gingrich bid for president next year, giving the former U.S. House speaker the early endorsements of the current and former chief executives of Georgia.
"The idea of a Newt Gingrich candidacy is very intriguing," Perdue said of the former Georgia congressman who is currently exploring a potential campaign for the Republican nomination.
Gov. Nathan Deal, the Republican who succeeded Perdue in office, has already endorsed Gingrich.
Perdue spoke to reporters from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and The Associated Press before Monday night's state GOP President's Day Dinner at the Marriott Marquis downtown.
Perdue said he and Gingrich have kept in touch over the years and that the race to upset President Barack Obama will be about "ideas."
"The American people are very hungry for a way back to prosperity," Perdue said. "Newt Gingrich can articulate that in a way that will appeal to a lot of people. If he runs, I think Newt Gingrich would make a great president. He will be able to count on my support."
Perdue made his first major public appearance since leaving the governor's office after eight years. In the three months since Deal took over, Perdue has moved back to Bonaire and kept a low profile, which was part of his plan, he said.
"I’m really trying to behave myself as a former governor," he said, laughing.
In response to a question, Perdue said he supports Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed's attempt to resolve the continuing crisis at Atlanta Public Schools. Reed said Monday that he wants the temporary ability to appoint members of the APS board. Perdue last year ordered state investigators to take over an investigation of the APS cheating scandal. The system's high schools now face possible loss of accreditation because of the board's infighting.
"I do believe that the Atlanta public school system needs some structure and some accountability that would lead to an environment and a culture whereby the situation we now find ourselves in the midst of would not be duplicated," Perdue said. "I would be in favor of any kind of transformation that would help that along."
Perdue warned that it might not be simple. He said giving Reed that kind of power might take a constitutional amendment.
"You have to make sure the solution is not worse than the problem," Perdue said. "That's not an assessment one way or another, it's just the facts."
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