WASHINGTON — Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s campaign fundraising has gone into a tailspin as a result of poor debate performances and plunging poll numbers, jeopardizing his position as the best-funded Republican presidential candidate of 2012.
Perry’s associates and supporters say his campaign has redoubled its money-raising efforts in the past week to ensure that his campaign will have enough money to survive the first three contests of the 2012 election calendar: Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.
But Perry’s loyal backers are running into resistance from Republican donors. One Perry fundraiser, who asked not to be named, said he received 15 RSVPs for a recent event from potential donors saying they might attend. But after a gaffe-marred Perry debate performance, none showed up.
“The debates have taken a toll,” the fundraiser said. “The national numbers have taken a toll. People see the campaign on a negative trajectory.”
For good reason. The RealClearPolitics.com average of recent national polls places Perry fourth at 9.9 percent, down from his peak of 31.8 percent on Sept. 13. More ominously, new polls in the first two states to select presidential convention delegates show Perry languishing in fifth place in Iowa and New Hampshire as fellow Texan Ron Paul rocketed to second place.
“It’s the iron rule of politics: Money follows popularity,” says Austin lobbyist Bill Miller, a Perry donor. “It goes up if you’re popular and goes down if you’re not.”
Another Perry fundraiser said he expects the Texas governor to raise between $3 million and $5 million in the final three months of 2012 — less than one-third of what he generated in the first six weeks of his candidacy.
Ramped up spending
Perry supporters say they may well raise less money than four other candidates: former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former National Restaurant Association CEO Herman Cain, and Paul.
Perry reported having $15 million in the bank on Oct. 1 — more than any other candidate in the massive GOP field — but that number may be misleading because his campaign delayed payments of some salaries and other expenses until after the previous reporting period ended.
Perry also has ramped up his spending in response to sagging poll numbers, investing an estimated $1 million for a TV ad blitz on the Fox News Channel to rebuild his standing among conservative viewers.
Nonpartisan analysts say the Texas governor’s hefty bank account has kept him in the running, despite his missteps.
“Because he did so well early on he has had enough money on hand to give him the opportunity to stay in the game and make a comeback,” said University of Iowa political scientist Tim Hagle.
Prominent Perry supporters say they can reverse the negative media narrative with time and money.
“Don’t count him out,” said California state Assemblyman Dan Logue, who encouraged Perry to run. “He’s got his feet under him now and is headed in the right direction, based on the fact that his record is the best record of any candidate who’s running for president.”
Perry campaign officials did not respond to a request for updated money totals. His money people are redoubling their efforts in Texas, where they are combing past donors of the governor’s statewide races. One Perry associate estimates that “at least another 25 percent” of past Perry backers are “sitting out there that they think they can get.”
Unlike contributors in the rest of the country, Texas political activists “have an additional reason to give,” a Perry backer points out: Even if the governor loses, he still will be an influential figure in state politics.
Help in a ‘rough patch’
The campaign also is contacting presidential donors who gave less than the maximum gift of $2,500, asking them to “see what you can do to help us through this rough patch,” one fundraiser said.
Perry, whose campaign was heavily dependent on large contributions over the first two months, also is ramping up its small-donor solicitations and has stepped up the purchase of online ads designed to generate revenue and identify grass-roots supporters.
To help generate buzz — and dollars — Perry is hoping to land a big endorsement, either a talk radio superstar like Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity or a tea party favorite such as former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Florida Gov. Rick Scott or South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint.
Perry loyalists say they feel a slight uptick in momentum following his self-deprecating response to the embarrassing “oops” moment at the Nov. 9 debate in Michigan.
Cashing in on that sense, Perry will make a two-day money swing in December through California, where his conservative core has remained loyal.
Jeff Miller, the Perry campaign chair in California and a key fundraiser, said that even after Perry’s debate debacle, “I got a call from someone who said, ‘I’m still in for the max. I believe in the governor. I believe in what he can do for jobs.’ ”
Perry’s associates and supporters say his campaign has redoubled its money-raising efforts in the past week to ensure that his campaign will have enough money to survive the first three contests of the 2012 election calendar: Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.
But Perry’s loyal backers are running into resistance from Republican donors. One Perry fundraiser, who asked not to be named, said he received 15 RSVPs for a recent event from potential donors saying they might attend. But after a gaffe-marred Perry debate performance, none showed up.
“The debates have taken a toll,” the fundraiser said. “The national numbers have taken a toll. People see the campaign on a negative trajectory.”
For good reason. The RealClearPolitics.com average of recent national polls places Perry fourth at 9.9 percent, down from his peak of 31.8 percent on Sept. 13. More ominously, new polls in the first two states to select presidential convention delegates show Perry languishing in fifth place in Iowa and New Hampshire as fellow Texan Ron Paul rocketed to second place.
“It’s the iron rule of politics: Money follows popularity,” says Austin lobbyist Bill Miller, a Perry donor. “It goes up if you’re popular and goes down if you’re not.”
Another Perry fundraiser said he expects the Texas governor to raise between $3 million and $5 million in the final three months of 2012 — less than one-third of what he generated in the first six weeks of his candidacy.
Ramped up spending
Perry supporters say they may well raise less money than four other candidates: former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former National Restaurant Association CEO Herman Cain, and Paul.
Perry reported having $15 million in the bank on Oct. 1 — more than any other candidate in the massive GOP field — but that number may be misleading because his campaign delayed payments of some salaries and other expenses until after the previous reporting period ended.
Perry also has ramped up his spending in response to sagging poll numbers, investing an estimated $1 million for a TV ad blitz on the Fox News Channel to rebuild his standing among conservative viewers.
Nonpartisan analysts say the Texas governor’s hefty bank account has kept him in the running, despite his missteps.
“Because he did so well early on he has had enough money on hand to give him the opportunity to stay in the game and make a comeback,” said University of Iowa political scientist Tim Hagle.
Prominent Perry supporters say they can reverse the negative media narrative with time and money.
“Don’t count him out,” said California state Assemblyman Dan Logue, who encouraged Perry to run. “He’s got his feet under him now and is headed in the right direction, based on the fact that his record is the best record of any candidate who’s running for president.”
Perry campaign officials did not respond to a request for updated money totals. His money people are redoubling their efforts in Texas, where they are combing past donors of the governor’s statewide races. One Perry associate estimates that “at least another 25 percent” of past Perry backers are “sitting out there that they think they can get.”
Unlike contributors in the rest of the country, Texas political activists “have an additional reason to give,” a Perry backer points out: Even if the governor loses, he still will be an influential figure in state politics.
Help in a ‘rough patch’
The campaign also is contacting presidential donors who gave less than the maximum gift of $2,500, asking them to “see what you can do to help us through this rough patch,” one fundraiser said.
Perry, whose campaign was heavily dependent on large contributions over the first two months, also is ramping up its small-donor solicitations and has stepped up the purchase of online ads designed to generate revenue and identify grass-roots supporters.
To help generate buzz — and dollars — Perry is hoping to land a big endorsement, either a talk radio superstar like Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity or a tea party favorite such as former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Florida Gov. Rick Scott or South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint.
Perry loyalists say they feel a slight uptick in momentum following his self-deprecating response to the embarrassing “oops” moment at the Nov. 9 debate in Michigan.
Cashing in on that sense, Perry will make a two-day money swing in December through California, where his conservative core has remained loyal.
Jeff Miller, the Perry campaign chair in California and a key fundraiser, said that even after Perry’s debate debacle, “I got a call from someone who said, ‘I’m still in for the max. I believe in the governor. I believe in what he can do for jobs.’ ”
11 comments:
I am somewhat glad that Perry is now struggling financially. He started his campaign with his bank account full of Texan dollars. If anyone wants to win a National election, that money needs to come from across the borders. His funds may have dried up, but he has not gone anywhere. Perry was always on the top of the polls, and will eventually come back. Whenever we analyze his mishaps, we can see that he remained in the polls as the "average guy" who makes mistakes. Therefore, we can see that even though he had the mistake in the debate, he is still up there. He may be 4th currently, but he was 1st a while ago. He remained at that position for quite a while, and there is no reason why he cannot get that position back. If money means everything in elections, Obama will win this election. He has raised the most money in the previous election, so we can assume that he will either make that amount or even more through funds.
Perry is a good governor that has been in the politc game for a while and maybe that's the problem. Maybe perry just needs to accept that it's about that time to sit back and see how it goes. Without him here, he dosen't have the speech it takes to stay up with the others. His money funds are loseing so much because he can not speak and with out a good speech in anything perry will have no money what so ever and no money results in an unfortunate campaign. Either he needs to work on speech or let it go.
The reason Perry's funding is on the decrease is due to his terrible stage presence and lack of preparation. It's quite unfortunate that the amount of money in one's campaign will determine his or her success in one's respective primary. If only so many people weren't as blind to politics as they are, we could have a solution to the country's economic downfall. Ron Paul is the only living politician who passionately strives in upholding the Constitution, which has been pissed on presidency after presidency.
Ron Paul 2012
This demonstrates just how big of a role money plays during campaigning as well as debate skills. You can't have one without the other. In Perry's case, as of now, he doesn't have much of either. The trip in his debate made people doubt him and now he has to pull in the money to compensate for what he lacks on the stage. People want to deny it, but who becomes president really depends on which person has the best monetary foundation built during the campaign. Perry knows this, hence his scattering to build all of it back up so he can stay in the race.
This demonstrates just how big a role money plays as well as debate skills. You can't have one without the other. As of now, perry doesn't have much of either. People may want to deny this but our president is determined by who has the most monetary funds and the best character along with debating skills. Perry knows this, hence his scurrying to build up his monetary funds so he compensate for what he lacks on stage.
Perry's low projected numbers over the next three months seems to show just how far he has fallen since the start of his campaign. His voters are nervous because of his stumbles, and falling in the polls, and it seems outside of the diehard loyalists to him, that the only huge donations he will receive, will come from those in Texas who need to be in his good standing. Perry needs to make a jump in the polls or steal some votes, or his money may dry up completely.
I think that although some benefits will come for donors, a lot of them will be very disappointed with Rick Perry's performance in his following debates. He needs a lot of time and speech training in order to prepare for his following debates, not just money since the money from his donors will only take him so far. I think the number of people who will continue to support him will become very limited over the following months which will have a negative impact on his candidacy.
This situation could have been easily avoided by Perry. If he was on top of his game, knew his own policy's, and didn't ram-up his spending he would be at a better standing in this race. I highly doubt that he will get the nomination, especially considering how his debates have been going and his economical standpoint at the moment.
The innitial momentum perry had was due to his avid countenance to mit romney. However this controversy has led him to a fall in voter approval as he did not outmanuever romney in the debates. The class discussion that we had over the influence of funds on election results may be weighted in the sense that those funds come from voter approval but seeing as perry has neither the popularity to get the funds nor the funds to influence his popularity, he seems to be caught in a catch 22 that cannot be broken. He has the support of his original base, but the majority of conservative voters will find it hard to side with him because of his radical views and lack of performance, something that it seems he will not be able to reverse nomatter the funds or campaigning, if he does not begin to change his persona and debating performance.
Of course fundraising is going to go south because of Perry's antics when debating. Perry cannot debate to save his life because he hasn't ever had to ,but he should be practicing to get better. Half of running for President are the debates to show that the person running for office is a suitable fit. Perry is not showing that he is right for the job and the money flow is suffering because of it. Fundraising will not go well for a candidate who cannot debate without seeming like he is on something and investors will not invest more money either. Money goes to a winning candidate and Perry as of right now is not a winning candidate so he deserves not to have a lot of cash flow.
Well Perry now knows to go into a debate more prepared. Its funny how you forget the things you want to abolish on national tv but don't expect to lose popularity. His campaign officials are smart to go back to Texas where they know Perry has been the political dominate and is strongly supported.
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