Perry campaigning for Giuliani in 2008. (Getty Images)

On Morning Joe today, Joe Scarborough pressed Long Island Congressman Peter King about whether a very conservative and publicly-prayerful nominee like Rick Perry could really capture large swaths of swing voters.

"I wouldn’t write him off," said King, who compared the situation to the nay-saying that greeted Ronald Reagan in 1979. "I’ve met Rick Perry a number of times. He has a dynamic personality. He’s a larger than life character. I think people are going to look at the whole picture."

"So you think Rick Perry can win Long Island?” Scarborough asked.

"I'm saying, sure he could," King said. "Running against Barack Obama, right now? I think he could, yes. Depending on how he campaigns over the next year, yes."

But King resisted characterizing himself as a Perry guy. "I’m not here as a cheerleader for Rick Perry," he said.

In 2008, both King and Perry backed Rudy Giuliani in his presidential bid, and King is still holding out hope. He said, again, that he'd back Giuliani -- or Chris Christie -- if either were to enter the race.