Perry gets Barbour’s endorsement

AP: Texas Gov. Rick Perry is getting the endorsement of a fellow Republican governor, Haley Barbour of Mississippi.

Barbour is campaigning with Perry on Thursday in Fredericksburg and Dallas. He praised Perry’s efforts to limit government spending. Barbour also chairs the Republican Governors Association — a group with which Perry has been heavily involved — and has been Mississippi governor since 2004.

Perry faces a tough re-election battle against Republican U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, whose campaign revealed this week that former Vice President Dick Cheney is supporting her.

The GOP primary fight lately has been a contest to win endorsements, with both candidates announcing big-name supporters. The primary is in March, and the winner goes on to face the Democratic nominee in the general election.