Interesting... I would not expect Gov Perry to take a stance such as this, perhaps perception/awareness of crypo-currencies is greater than I thought.
Let's be honest here, this is not a stance...he said "I'll support regulatory breathing room" which means he wouldn't actively pursue or make a priority (of his administration) writing regulations around bitcoin use. This isn't much. He's not saying he believes in bitcoin or even that he understands what it is. He's just saying "it's not a priority".
Let's not give him too much credit. He's a conservative, which means less regulation for business and industry. Hopefully bitcoin is allowed to mature and be used with minimal regulation...only time will tell.