Considering the pathetic state of the field of 2012 Republican presidential candidates, it's probably no surprise that Texas governor Rick Perry is considering jumping into the race:

A Texas pol who is close to Perry has been telling a few key strategists that the nation’s longest-serving governor sees a vacuum and is waiting to be summoned into the race. This source believes that could happen by late summer. Without fellow Southerners Haley Barbour or Mike Huckabee in the race — and with Newt Gingrich’s early troubles raising further doubts about the current lineup — there could be a glaring niche for Perry to fill.

Perry is probably a more formidable candidate than, well, just about anybody else in the race on the Republican side. But he's got a bunch of flaws that would be evident in the general election, including his railing against federal funds until he took federal funds. Also: A white state's rights guy from Texas battling with a black man on the national stage is going to be all kinds of tricky.