Rick Perry believes he could fill a ‘void’ in the 2012 GOP field

Rick Perry appears to be getting more serious about a potential 2012 presidential run.

Just weeks after the Texas governor confirmed he's thinking about a bid for the GOP nomination, Perry is apparently laying the groundwork for a campaign privately, telling supporters he believes the no one in the current 2012 field is effectively mobilizing the party to defeat President Obama.

"He thinks there is a void [in the current field of candidates], and that he might be uniquely positioned to fill that void," a Perry confidant told the Wall Street Journal's Neil King Jr.

A Perry ally, who spoke with the governor recently, told the paper that he believes his resume might be stronger against Obama than would be the case for anyone else in the current GOP field.

The GOP governor has reportedly been putting out feelers to potential Republican fundraisers in recent weeks, though logistically Perry would be in a tough spot. His longtime political adviser, Rob Johnson, signed on to manage Newt Gingrich's 2012 bid earlier this spring when Perry was still insisting he had no interest in the race.

In recent weeks, key conservatives, including radio host Rush Limbaugh, have talked up Perry's potential candidacy.

But there's at least one influential GOP faction that would likely mobilize against a Perry bid: George W. Bush and his family. Bush and Perry, who served together in Texas, have made no secret of their dislike for one another. Last year, the Bush family and their allies unsuccessfully campaigned against Perry's bid for a third term as governor, endorsing his GOP primary rival Kay Bailey Hutchison.

(Photo of Perry: Henry Cabluck/AP)