(CNN) - Texas Gov. Rick Perry will be joined by his family in South Carolina this weekend for a major speech in which he will strongly signal his intention to run for president, two GOP sources told CNN.
Perry is not expected to make a formal campaign announcement on Saturday in Charleston, but people familiar with the planning say that Perry's speech to the RedState Gathering, a convention of conservative activists, will erase any doubt about his presidential ambitions.
During his visit to the key early primary state, Perry will also meet privately with dozens of South Carolina Republican leaders. Perry will then travel to New Hampshire where he will meet with party activists there.
The Texas governor has been meeting with donors and talking to activists in key caucus and primary states for weeks as he lays groundwork for a potential campaign.
A formal declaration of candidacy is expected sometime before Labor Day, but Perry's advisers have not revealed a specific announcement date.
From CNN Politics
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Another free trade, global economy, crooks, just like Obama. No thank you!
I guess that God finally spoke to him about running. I wonder what God was doing before hand.
Good for Rick – the king of pandering, idiotic liars ought to be an immediate front-runner for the party of gullible, wacky, ignoramuses. If you think Rick sounds good, ask a Texan what he or she thinks of the Governor. But try to ask the 62 % of Texans who voted against him in 2006, including those who voted for Kinky Friedman instead. Perry wanted to secede, and now he wants to be President. He wants states rights--until they interfere with his partisan morality (then he wants Constitutional amendments to PREVENT states' rights). This is the guy who insisted we cut education by hundreds of millions of dollars, and then said teacher layoffs as a result weren't his fault, but rather a local decision. And in the middle of a budget crisis, Perry campaigns in California, while renting a $10,000 per month condo on taxpayer's dime. Publicly boasting about not needing Federal money...then takes it to balance a budget and crow about how good Texas was being managed. Cutting small business taxes by draining the unemployment surplus, which tapped out during the unemployment crisis, forcing him to TRIPLE small business taxes in a tight economy. 20 years as a state employee, during which time he became a millionaire (based upon gifts). And he wants to pretend he is an outsider. And, in case you wanted partisan purity – Rick started out as a Democrat. And yet, somehow I sense that there will be LOTS of Republicans stupid enoough to overlook all of that.
My understanding is that when people talk about him and W in the same discussion, the latter is referred to as the "smart one."
Seems like the GOP field gets funnier every day.
In a positive light, he can't screw-up any worse than the last Texas idiot to be president.
"Next time I tell you someone from Texas should not be president of the United States, please pay attention." – Molly Ivins
He won't run. End of story.
Texas sized Blowhard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We need another clueless cowboy like we need a hole in the head
For a split second I hoped that "Perry" referred to the gorgeous entertainer Katy Perry. Alas, it referred to a different entertainer, a clown named Rick Perry.
This is the same individual that was praying so that the economic situation would get better, and I quote "It's in the good Lords hands now. There is nothing we can do." WTF!
I guess I missed the boat some where – Perry was willing to allow some school district here info Texas got under due to not having enough money to operation efficiently – yet they wanted him as the president? Why?
i really really hope he doesn't
Hopefully his intentions have to do with a horse and Marlboro commercials.
I think if he does,.. we are looking at the next president as he likely wins the GOP nomination,.. and Obama is losing ground with many in his own party,...
Oh joy. Christian sharia. Just what this country needs for yet ANOTHER Texan.
Romney and Perry can bring this country back to its former greatness
Obama will keep on digging a bigger hole for America
Obama is the Worst Disaster in America since 9/11
You mean his prayer event didn't automatically fix everything? Just what this race needs.. another candidate with a silent P in his first name.
A secessionist for president – kind of a different idea
Yesssssss! More of the same!
Like many before him, he is checking to see if he can raise enough money to buy the White House.
Yeah Run! America finds Rick Perry as appealing as George W. Bush. YUCK!
Cmon let's get that guy in there and fix what's broken
God no!