Story highlights Rick Perry said he would be willing to run as Donald Trump's VP nominee

Perry ran against Trump in the primary, and called him 'a cancer on conservatism'

Louisville, Kentucky (CNN) Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who once called Donald Trump "a cancer on conservatism," said Friday he would be willing to serve as the presumptive Republican nominee's vice president.

Perry said he will do whatever he can to help Trump -- including joining him on the Republican ticket in November.

"I suspect I'm going to be helping him in a myriad ways -- but if it's the vice presidency, if a cabinet position is where he needs somebody with my experience then I'm not going to go back to Texas and say, 'Aw shucks sir, I'm gonna go fishing.' I'm gonna go serve my country," Perry told CNN backstage at the National Rifle Association's annual meeting.

Perry told Republican donors Wednesday on a conference call hosted by Great America PAC, a pro-Trump group, that he would help Trump any way he could "within reason" and appeared to make his case for the vice presidency -- pointing to his foreign policy and government experience just as he talked up those same qualities as those Trump should look for in selecting a running mate.

Asked Friday whether the vice presidency was "within reason," Perry was blunt: "Of course it is," he said.

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