At an event in S. Carolina on Saturday, Rick Perry is expected to make his intentions known on a run for the 2012 White House.
And, it couldn’t come any sooner for many people as they have been holding back possible donations. Something he is trailing in is money. Romney, the current front-runner, is amounting huge sums of money for his run. Perry on the other hand, needs to make a choice soon and start bringing in some dough.
(Reuters) – The Texas governor’s appearance at a conservative conference coincides with a straw poll of Republican candidates in Iowa and his remarks could steal some of the thunder from his rivals competing in that event.
Two Republicans familiar with his plan said Perry would stop short of making a presidential announcement Saturday but would drop a strong hint in remarks to a conservative conference sponsored by RedState.com in Charleston.
Afterward, he is expected to travel to New Hampshire, which holds the country’s first primary contest early next year.
The straw poll in Ames, Iowa, Saturday is a test of strength among Republicans candidates in Iowa, whose caucuses in February will be the first election contest of the 2012.
Perry is not on the straw poll ballot because he was not an announced candidate when the contest was organized. Tea Party conservative candidate Michelle Bachmann is leading polls in Iowa.
A Republican familiar with Perry’s plans said his South Carolina appearance would make a splash and compete with the Iowa news that day.