The nation’s longest serving governor has officially announced his candidacy for President.
Texas Governor Rick Perry told South Carolina voters the news in a conference call about an hour before he kicked off the campaign with a speech in Charleston. “I full well believe I’m going to win,” Perry declared in his call.

Perry joins a wide-range of Republican candidates who will fight to win the Republican nomination. Former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Representative Ron Paul, Representative Michele Bachmann, former Senator of Pennsylvania Rick Santorum, former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty and businessman Herman Cain have all formerly announced their candidacy. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is also in the race and leads in many polls.

A presidential campaign website has been created for Perry that declares "It's time to get America working again.”

On his “Why I’m Running” blog post found on the site, Perry claims, “As governor of Texas I have led based on a few guiding principles. One, don’t spend all the money. Two, keep taxes low and under control. Three, keep regulations fair and predictable. And four, reform the legal system so frivolous lawsuits don’t paralyze employers that are trying to create jobs.”

According to the Associated Press, Perry “has overseen significant job growth in his state while working to keep taxes low. He was an early backer of the tea party movement. He enjoys the support of social conservatives because of his opposition to abortion and gay rights. He is also an evangelical Christian who organized a well-attended prayer rally in Houston last week.”

Governor Perry did not attend Thursday’s GOP debate on FOX News because he hadn’t formerly announced his candidacy for President.

Reach writer Mike Vulpo here