Gov. Perry enters, shakes up 2012 race

LESTER HOLT, anchor: all the political spotlight was on Ames today. In Charleston , South Carolina , Texas Republican Governor Rick Perry tried to shake up the GOP race with his announcement that he, too, is now running for president. And tonight he's already at work campaigning in the early primary state of New Hampshire . NBC 's Kristen Welker is there.

Governor RICK PERRY: America is not broken. Washington, DC , is broken.

KRISTEN WELKER reporting: Reinvigorating the Republican field, Texas Governor Rick Perry makes it official in South Carolina .

Gov. PERRY: With the support of my family, an unwavering belief in the goodness of America , I declare to you today as a candidate for president of the United States .

WELKER: Today, the former Air Force pilot and father of two made the case that his record in the Lone Star State qualifies him to lead.

Gov. PERRY: Since June of 2009 , Texas is responsible for more than 40 percent of all of the new jobs created in America .

WELKER: Today he cast himself as the anti- Obama , advocating low taxes and small government.

Gov. PERRY: We have to quit spending money we don't have. We need to get our fiscal house in order and restore our good credit.

WELKER: Some polls already show Perry running second to Mitt Romney .

Mr. STUART ROTHENBERG (Political Analyst): That's a new threat now to Mitt Romney . Somebody of substance who can probably raise some money, put together a national network and is a great campaigner.

WELKER: Still, he is untested on the national stage.

Gov. PERRY: Lord, you are the source of every good thing.

WELKER: Perry recently raised eyebrows for leading a prayer rally in Houston , appealing to the Christian right . But some saw it as blurring the line between church and state .

Gov. PERRY: The president of the United States , George W. Bush !

WELKER: Perry first took over the governor's mansion in 2000 , when George W. Bush left for the White House . Perry won the office outright three more times. And while he may sound a lot like his predecessor in Austin , the two Texans are actually quite different.

Mr. PAUL BURKA (Texas Monthly): He is much more conservative than George Bush was. Whereas Bush portrayed himself as a uniter, not a divider, Perry , he's more of a divider.

WELKER: Now Perry just arrived at this house in Greenland , New Hampshire , for a meet and greet. And tomorrow he heads to, where else, Iowa . Lester :