Rick Perry: I'm In, and 'I'm Going to Win'

Take that, Ames straw pollers. Rick Perry told supporters today that not only is he running for president, "I full well believe I'm going to win." The statement came in a conference call ahead of his speech this afternoon to formally declare his candidacy, reports AP. His newly launched campaign website also jumped the gun: "We will not sit back and accept our current misery…because a great country requires a better direction…because a renewed nation requires a new president," he writes. "That’s why, with faith in God, the support of my family, and an unwavering belief in the goodness of America, I am a candidate for President of the United States."

Also on the Perry front:

• The Huffington Post welcomes him to the campaign trail by raising questions about the Super PACs supporting his bid.
• Fortune looks at how Texas has gained a net 1 million new jobs over his 10 years as governor. Not that it's all good news—the number is still not enough to keep up with the state's rapid population growth, says the report.
• The New York Times calls him one of the most formidable political fundraisers in the country.

(More Rick Perry stories.)