Apparently Rick Perry's performance at the first GOP debate last week wasn't enough to keep donors writing checks. Perry, who debated in the 5 p.m. Fox News debate after missing the primetime cutoff, has apparently stopped paying campaign staffers in key early states and at campaign headquarters. From the Washington Post:
Former Texas governor Rick Perry's presidential campaign is no longer paying its staff because fundraising has dried up, while his cash-flush allied super PAC is preparing to expand its political operation to compensate for the campaign's shortcomings, campaign and super PAC officials and other Republicans familiar with the operation said late Monday.
Perry, who has struggled to gain traction in his second presidential run, has stopped paying his staff at the national headquarters in Austin as well as in the early caucus and primary states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, according to a Republican familiar with the Perry campaign who demanded anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.
Perry campaign manager Jeff Miller told staff last Friday, the day after the first Republican presidential debate, that they would no longer be paid and are free to look for other jobs -- and, so far at least, most aides have stuck with Perry -- according to this Republican.
As the Post piece notes, Perry's Super PAC has plenty of cash but the campaign itself is having a tough time coming up with enough funding to keep moving.
Although Kentucky Senator Rand Paul is polling higher than Perry, his campaign seems to be having similar problems.
Paul’s second-quarter financial haul was $7 million, which places him behind every Republican who has disclosed their earnings except for Carly Fiorina, who you may not have even heard of, Rick Perry, who is under indictment in Texas and barely qualifies for the first debate, Rick Santorum, who doesn’t qualify, Bobby Jindal, who had just six days to fundraise, and Mike Huckabee, whose campaign platform seems to be uncomfortable Holocaust references.
Paul’s super PAC, America's Liberty PAC, raised just $3.1 million. In comparison, Jeb Bush’s super PAC raised $103 million.
Both Perry and Paul are not only lacking in funds, but in momentum. The question now is, who will drop out of the race first? Or, who can hold on the longest with minimal resources in a national campaign with 15 months to go?