Texas Gov. Rick Perry has added South Carolina to his summer travel schedule.
The Republican governor has added the trip -- his first this year to an early presidential nominating state -- as he moves closer to making a decision about a White House bid.
Perry will be speaking to a RedState conservative blogger conference on Aug. 13 in Charleston. The event is the same day as the influential Iowa straw poll, one of the earliest momentum-building contests in the 2012 presidential race.
Early contests in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina are seen as key battlegrounds for the eventual nominee. The contests traditionally are won through frequent visits and courting the local officials.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
