Rick Perry to Officially Announce His Run for Presidency on Saturday

Texas Gov. Rick Perry is looking to wear a new hat: President of the United States of America.

Perry's spokesman Mark Miner told The Associated Press on Thursday that the Texas governor will be running for president and will make his intentions known on Saturday while visiting South Carolina and New Hampshire as most of his presidential rivals compete in a test vote in Iowa.

That Perry was going to make a run for the presidency wasn't much surprise, as he has been flirting with the idea since spring and somewhat laying the groundwork for such a campaign.

Once he makes his confirmation, Perry will be going head-to-head with other presidential hopefuls such as Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Tim Pawlenty, Herman Cain and Michele Bachmann. Romney is currently the frontrunner for the GOP.

The AP has said Perry has met privately with potential donors from California to New York and has given rousing speeches to party faithful, casting himself as a fiscally responsible social conservative.

Politico has said Perry also spoke privately with four high-profile state officials, including Tennessee Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey and the speakers of the Arizona, Utah and New Hampshire state houses, during the National Conference of State Legislatures meeting in San Antonio, Texas.

Politico said Ramsey, a Perry supporter, came away convinced that Perry would be a strong "contrast to Obama" in the 2012 race.

"I think he's exactly what we're waiting for in the Republican primary. He has the message people want to hear and a message he can back up with his record in Texas," Ramsey told Politico.

Perry is a pro-business tax-cutter, who has presided over Texas' recent economic growth and is also a devout social conservative with deep ties to some of the nation's evangelical leaders and Christians who dominate the pivotal Iowa caucuses, The AP said. The news agency added that Perry has never run a national campaign before, and it's unclear whether his Texas swagger and sometimes unorthodox policy positions will sit well with GOP primary voters outside his state.

Perry is a career politician with 27 years in elected office who calls his economic track record in Texas a model for the country. He has argued that low taxes, little regulation and tough lawsuit restrictions help create jobs and attract business, The AP said.