Texas judge refuses to dismiss former governor's indictment

A judge in the U.S. state of Texas on Tuesday refused to throw out an indictment against former Texas governor Rick Perry, a potential Republican candidate for the 2016 presidential race.

Perry was indicted by a grand jury last August for allegedly forcing the ouster of a Democratic prosecutor by threatening -- then making good on -- the veto of a state funding for an anti-corruption unit the prosecutor was in charge of.

He faces two charges of abuse of official capacity and coercion of a public servant, which carry prison sentences of up to more than 100 years if convicted.

The former governor and his massive defense team contended that he acted within his legal authority and requested the court to toss out the case.

District Judge Bert Richardson, however, rejected their request on Tuesday, ruling that criminal charges against Perry should stand.

Perry's lawyers immediately filed notice that they will appeal Richardson's ruling. The appeals process could take months, according to the Texas Tribune. Perry will reportedly hold a press conference Wednesday to respond to the ruling.

After a failed campaign in the 2012 presidential race, Perry, the longest-serving governor in Texas history, indicated he has his eye on a second run at the presidency in 2016.

The indictment and pending charges haven't put a damper on his plans; Perry has been bouncing around the country in the last few weeks appearing at political campaigns.

Perry, a vocal critic of U.S. President Barack Obama, has made national headlines recently by slamming the president for his immigration policies and other issues. Endi