Texas Gov. Rick Perry says Republican congressional candidates must say "no" — no to President Barack Obama, and no to anything that makes Washington relevant to the American people.

Perry is among a flock of potential GOP presidential candidates addressing the three-day Southern Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans. He bills himself as a principled, small-government conservative.

Perry did not tip his hand about 2012, but had this to say Friday about November's congressional elections: "It's going to take men and women going to Washington, D.C., and saying no."

He said GOP candidates should tell voters, "Elect me and I'm going to Washington, D.C, and will try to make it as inconsequential on your life as I can make it."