Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX) is having some serious trouble with his fundraising, reports the Houston Chronicle. His recent debate gaffes and plunging polling numbers are correspondingly affecting his campaign war chest.
“It’s the iron rule of politics: Money follows popularity,” Austin lobbyist and Perry donor Bill Miller told the paper. “It goes up if you’re popular and goes down if you’re not.”
Another Perry fundraiser said he expects the governor to raise between $3 and $5 million in the final quarter of 2012—less than one-third of what he raised in just the first six weeks of his candidacy.
The Perry campaign has been trying to stem the bleeding, contacting former donors who have given less than the maximum gift of $2,500 and asking them to “see what you can do to help us through this rough patch.” In addition, the campaign is hoping to land a big endorsement to generate some positive buzz.
