Rick Perry For President: 2012 Campaign Announcement Expected Next Week: Report

Texas Governor Rick Perry is expected to announce his candidacy for president of the United States next week, the Washington Post reports.

The presidential announcement would come on the heels of the widely-anticipated Ames Straw Poll -- a test of conservative strength and a table-setter for next year's Iowa caucuses -- set to take place next Saturday. HuffPost's Jon Ward reported last month that Perry was left off the straw poll ballot.

According to Politico, the Texas governor plans to make clear he's running for the Republican presidential nomination in a speech he's scheduled to deliver in South Carolina on Saturday.

The Austin Statesman reported over the weekend:

Leaders of Perry’s fundraising operation sent information on how to raise money for a presidential campaign to potential bundlers — the people who will be tasked with raising hundreds of thousands or dollars, or more, from their friends and business associates.

"He has the potential to appeal to both the economic conservatives and social conservatives," Iowa Governor Terry Branstad (R) said of Perry, according to the Associated Press. "The economic conservatives are somewhat up for grabs. I really think it comes down to what does Perry do. I think there is the potential for him to change the race."

Portsmouth Patch reports that Perry is also expected to head to the key early primary state of New Hampshire this weekend.

As for Perry's chances in the Granite State, Portsmouth Patch's Marc Fortier reports:

Rick Perry faces a huge obstacle as he prepares to enter the presidential race on Saturday -- here in New Hampshire, nobody knows who he is.

Nobody may be a bit of an overstatement, but not too much of one. In the University of New Hampshire Survey Center's most recent poll of likely Republican Primary voters, Perry finished at 4 percent, behind Ron Paul and Rudy Giuliani (7 percent apiece) and just ahead of Tim Pawlenty and Sarah Palin (3 percent each).

"It's not as if we're seeing anything in our polls right now that's really calling for a Rick Perry candidacy," said Andy Smith, director of the UNH Survey Center.

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Comments

[Fran Stephens]

01:26 AM on 08/11/2011

I'm from and live in Texas. NO MORE PRESIDENTS FROM TEXAS

[A-COL]

05:20 PM on 08/09/2011

Rick Perry WILL BE the Republican nominee and next President. The main issue concerning Americans, In the words of VP Biden: “it’s a 3-letter word… JOBS, JOBS, JOBS! (Nobody ever accused Biden of being very bright).

Perry is the ONLY candidate of either party that can boast of creating jobs while in political office! During the Obama reign, half of ALL jobs created in the US were created in Perry’s Texas! By contract, according to the 19 Jun 11 Washington Post Fact Checker: “since Obama has been president…there are 2.5 million fewer jobs.”

As this country’s longest serving chief executive of our second largest state by size and population, he is by far the best qualified and most experienced executive in Government. Compare this to our present Commander-in-Chief who had never held an executive position before being elected President – the market dropped 700 points while he was on TV “inspiring” the Nation yesterday.

Perry is also the ONLY serious candidate that has ever served in the Military which the President presides over as Commander-in-Chief. As an Air Force pilot he flew C-130s in the States, Middle East, and Europe leaving as a captain in 77.

With Perry we get a seasoned decision-making executive and inspirational leader – and at least nobody will have to teach Perry how to salute. Want to know how I really feel about all the candidates, check out my Blog at: http://old-soldier-colonel.blogspot.com/

[ajsgmajc]

09:17 PM on 08/09/2011

Yeah, I think I'll pass. You lost me with the first sentence.

[happyone6470]

03:51 PM on 08/10/2011

If he does decide to run it will be the best news i've heard in awhile .

[momonono1111]

12:08 AM on 08/11/2011

Yes.

[one09flat04]

12:02 PM on 08/09/2011

This proves that the "Peter Principle" is alive and well! You know...the one that says the way to stop a screw up from fouling up the works is to promote him to a higher position! That is what Rick Perry is trying to do by entertaining a run for the Presidency! He has turned Texas into a wasteland of economic and governmental failures and now seeks the highest office in the land! The thing about the "Peter Principle" is that it only works in corporations but when exposed to the public it results in the offender being cashiered "toute suite"! Roland C. Woodaka

[LORNADOONS]

01:33 PM on 08/09/2011

Along with the Peter Principle, I believe there is another timely title we can add to the corporate grifting which is now destroying our Democracy. (no title as yet for such a principle, but it goes as follows:)

When there are huge profits being made it is strictly a corporate business issue, when it involves huge corporate losses it is then made into a "social issue!

[evita1123]

11:05 AM on 08/09/2011

Rick "I never met a man I didn't lik" Perry will appeal to the philistinic evangelicals

[danneb1024]

10:48 AM on 08/09/2011

HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Texan Tea
Black Gold
112 Fans Become a fan

2 hours ago (8:43 AM)
Another liberal lie. It that you or your boyfriend?
_________________________________________________________________

You keep asking if I have a boyfriend....No I don't I have a husband.......sorry but you are a fan of Rick maybe you can get a date with him. He sounds perfect for you.........

[Carol Stephens Briers]

10:46 AM on 08/09/2011

For all of you that believe that your vote doesn't matter...something to think about:

In many of her lectures, Molly Ivins would exhort her audience to believe in their power. She'd say: "I hear people whine: 'I can't do anything. I'm just one person.'" Then she'd lift her head high and quote from the Declaration of Independence in her Barbara Jordon voice, and remind them, "As a U.S. citizen, you have more political power than most humans who've ever lived on this earth."

[LORNADOONS]

10:27 AM on 08/09/2011

Recalling an ole Will Rogers quote:

"It takes guts to be a Democrat, it takes money to be a Republican"

(Now I understand why Perry switched! Especially when it's other people's money!)

We are in a recession but don’t tell Texas Governor Rick Perry that because he feels like making it rain … with taxpayers money of course.

On the eve of a budget shortfall to the tune of $11 billion, the Associated Press has uncovered that Perry has spent close to $600K of taxpayer money in the last two years to live in a rental home.

Perry wastes $10K of your money and my money to rent and maintain a five-bedroom, seven-bath, three dining rooms mansion. The man has a toilet for every day of the week and can technically eat breakfast, lunch and dinner in three separate dining rooms.

If that is not offensive … consider the fact that he has thrown down over $1K in custom window coverings from Neiman Marcus, $700 clothes rack, $8400K for maintenance of a heated pool and $44K (a public school teacher’s yearly salary) on landscaping.

Poor Rick Perry … times are soo tough that he has had to resort to only one full-time chef … the second chef works part time and one housekeeper has to clean all five bedrooms, seven baths and three dining rooms by her lonely self.

[atl50]

10:23 AM on 08/09/2011

Will Rick be running for President of Texas?

[kylenevin1]

10:29 AM on 08/09/2011

Sad day for all Texans, especially those who believe in freedom and equality. At least Americans will see through his hate and lies or at least 70% will.

[happyone6470]

03:53 PM on 08/10/2011

I think not . That is just wishful thinking .

[JIMMYHOBO]

10:14 AM on 08/09/2011

The last thing we need is another Texass politician of questionable sanity running the country into a ditch that will take forever to get out of.Contrary to popular belief , being the loudest to proclaim your faith to a mass audience is not what Jesus asks you to do.But this fool is playing around and it shows a certain degree of self importance to say God talks to you.Why would God choose any human to talk to,or bless any country,or help any athelete win any game.....he/she would not....has not ....and never will.To equate the conversation with God lowers the majesty of what God is...you would not shake the hand of the queen,but you have conversations with God.That's disrespectful to lower God to mans level,in a vain attempt to decieve and raise oneself up.You can fool people all day....but some can never be fooled.

[Brain User]

10:13 AM on 08/09/2011

All you have to do to win a primary in the GOTP world is to call for a prayer in a stadium, invite some lunatic influencial pastors over and say GOD and Jesus 20 times in a speech to convince some beatup loosers with their arms in the air that your are also a Jesus fanatic.
Very sad for a great country such as USA.

[Chris Carpenter]

10:12 AM on 08/09/2011

Less intelligent than W and far more religious. That's all this country needs.

[happyone6470]

03:54 PM on 08/10/2011

John Kennedy was one of the most religious presidents in history . Did you approve of him ?

[Chris Carpenter]

10:17 AM on 08/11/2011

JFK didn't wear it on his sleave nor give off a sense of superiority over other religions or non-believers.

[jorjan]

10:12 AM on 08/09/2011

Rick Perry is a demented egotistical charlatan. In other words, perfect GOP material.

[jorjan]

10:09 AM on 08/09/2011

Are there any GOP candidates out there from normal main stream religions?????

[jorjan]

10:06 AM on 08/09/2011

Bachman/lPerry the Psycho/Evangelican dream team.

[Nukualofa]

10:04 AM on 08/09/2011

Won't Rick Perry first have to go through Michele Bachmann's husbands "Gay-Be-Go­ne" therapy before he can run on the Republican ticket?.