The Hill News

Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) will get rid of what little doubt is left that he'll run for president, and make it official on Saturday.

Perry will announce in South Carolina that he is running for president, according to a spokesman, ending the months-long speculation that he will make a late entry into the campaign. His decision reverses his statements earlier this year that he would not be running.

But his campaign seemed all-but-certain in recent days, as Perry plans weekend appearances in the three big primary states, South Carolina, New Hampshire and Iowa. He said earlier today in an interview with Time magazine that he was ready to run.

Perry spokesman Mark Miner told the Associated Press that the governor would run; Miner did not immediately respond to an email seeking confirmation.

Perry will make the announcement early afternoon at a gathering of conservative activists organized by the blog RedState. The decision to make the announcement there marks a significant moment of outreach to the party's activist blogging base. Moreover, the conference is in South Carolina, the state hosting the third primary of the 2012 nominating process.

Perry's decision to run reflects the uncertainty right now in the field of Republican candidates for the nation's highest political office. Perry's very reversal of course came after no clear frontrunner has emerged in the race for the GOP nomination; ! a number of Republicans say they're underwhelmed by the candid! ates, an d the number of undecided primary voters remain high.

Perry will enter the race at a formidable early position in the polls. A CNN/ORC International poll published Thursday pegged him at second place in the race for the GOP presidential nomination, checking in as the choice of 15 percent of primary voters. Perry's only two points behind the race's early frontrunner, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R), at 17 percent. 

Versus President Obama, Perry doesn't fare as well. Fifty-two percent of registered voters said in a Marist/McClatchy poll this week that they would elect Obama in 2012 if his Republican opponent were Perry. Thirty-three would choose Perry, while 14 percent were undecided.