Texas governor stumps for Romney in Carson

In his fourth Western Nevada stop Monday, Texas Gov. Rick Perry told a crowd at the Carson Mall the Obama administration doesn't understand that overtaxing and over-regulating business won't get Nevada's economy back on track.

Perry said especially states, like Nevada, where a large majority of the land is federally owned "should have some ability to open up these federal lands and explore."

Perry said opening the lands to responsible mining and energy production, "could create hundreds of thousands of jobs.

"We understand something the current administration does not understand: competition is what makes you strong. We don't need one size fits all from Washington."

Mitt Romney, he said, understands that and understands the private sector.

Perry also charged that Obama hasn't done enough for veterans, especially to get them back to work once they leave the service.

He said Romney would make sure the

veterans administration works and that both veterans and seniors get the benefits, "that are rightly coming to them."

As an example, he said a veteran who qualifies for the GI Bill should be able to redeem that benefit at any state college at in-state tuition rates, no matter where the veteran's home state is located.

Perry said afterward he has been impressed at the enthusiastic turnouts he received in Fallon, Yerington, Fernley and Carson City.

He said the task is to convince voters they need a president who "knows how the real world works."

"We've got a great product to sell," Perry said.

Asked whether Romney's opposition to the Dream Act for immigrants would hurt him with Hispanics, Perry said, "most Americans want the border secured first" - something he said the Obama administration hasn't done.

INSIDE

Reid continues criticism of GOP, see Page A4.