Speaking at a supportive luncheon for conservative women Wednesday, Texas' Republican governor Rick Perry declared that President Barack Obama was "hell-bent" on turning the United States red.

“This is an administration hell-bent toward taking American towards a socialist country," Perry remarked. "And we all don’t need to be afraid to say that because that’s what it is.”

Perry praised tea party activists, who have challenged Democrats' moves on healthcare, while demanding reductions in government services.

“If you all think those tea parties didn’t work, then let me tell you something,” Perry continued. “When they all came home in August for those town hall meetings, they got an earful. Then they went back to Washington, D.C. and the Senate voted that public option down in committee with a majority of Democrats in the Senate.”

He also said Obama was punishing Texas by sending them immigrants.

“Friday a week ago, I got not a phone call from Washington, not a letter from Washington and as a matter of fact, I don’t think any member of our congressional delegation was even notified," Perry remarked. "The first time we were contacted was by the superintendent of the school and the county judge of Presidio County."

“They said, ‘do you all know what’s fixin’ to happen?’ I said, ‘well, no. What’s going on?’ They said ‘the government has just called us and said for us to get ready for an influx of illegal aliens who were captured illegally crossing the border.’”