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

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

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

The former governor and his massive defense team contended thathe acted within his legal authority and requested the court to tossout the case.

District Judge Bert Richardson, however, rejected their requeston Tuesday, ruling that criminal charges against Perry shouldstand.

Perry's lawyers immediately filed notice that they will appealRichardson's ruling. The appeals process could take months,according to the Texas Tribune. Perry will reportedly hold a pressconference 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 hiseye on a second run at the presidency in 2016.

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

Perry, a vocal critic of U.S. President Barack Obama, has madenational headlines recently by slamming the president for hisimmigration policies and other issues.