California Democrats Tell Rick Perry He Should Probably Just Stay In Texas

Rick Perry may think California is a great place for him to retire, but Democrats in the state are suggesting he look elsewhere.

The Texas governor, who is closing out his final term in the statehouse, told the New York Times that he loves California, and is considering moving to the state after his time in Austin is up early next year.

However, California Democrats are less than enthused about the idea of Perry -- who has frequently used the state as a political punching bag -- moving to the Golden State.

"You really ought to know what you're signing up for here. It may not be your scene," California Democratic Party chairman John Burton wrote in a letter to Perry, which was provided to the Bay Area News Group's Josh Richman. "Here in California we don’t stick our heads in the sand or twiddle our thumbs when it comes to Global Warming. We know it’s real."

Burton pointed to Perry's most recent visit to San Francisco, during which he equated homosexuality to alcoholism. (Perry later acknowledged that he "stepped right in it" with that remark.)

"Rick, it will take more than marching in this month’s San Francisco Pride Parade for you to begin to walk those comments back, but if you’re planning to make the move, it couldn’t hurt to start there," Burton wrote.

The letter continued: "We understand even our state’s harshest critics would love to call California home, and apparently you’re no different. We’re just saying it wouldn’t hurt to do a little research before you load up the U-Haul and head west."

Click over to the Bay Area News Group to read the full letter.