Rick Perry has reportedly stopped paying all his campaign staff — but his super PAC is stepping in


Rick Perry is finding it hard to make a good second impression on Republican voters and donors. The former Texas governor hasn't just stopped paying his presidential campaign staff in South Carolina, as National Journal reported Monday evening — he has stopped paying all staff, including at his campaign headquarters in Austin, CBS News and The Washington Post report, citing unidentified Republicans "familiar with the Perry campaign."
Perry, a fundraising powerhouse in the 2008 GOP primary, raised a relatively paltry $1.1 million in the most recent quarter — Jeb Bush raised $120 million in the same period, and Sen. Ted Cruz hauled in $52.5 million. The super PAC supporting Perry, Opportunity and Freedom, has fared better, raising almost $17 million by mid-July, and though it can't legally coordinate with the Perry campaign, it plans to fill in the gaps of Perry's now largely volunteer organization.
Perry campaign spokesman Jeff Miller says the candidate "remains committed to competing in the early states and will continue to have a strong presence in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina," and Austin Barbour, a senior adviser to the super PAC, says his group will try to build a ground organization for Perry in those states. "The super PAC is not going to let Rick Perry down," Barbour told The Post. The newspaper notes that eventual 2008 GOP nominee Sen. John McCain was in a similarly perilous financial situation at the same point in 2007.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
What are 'freakosystems' and how are they affecting the planet?
The explainer Ecosystems are changing permanently
-
'The question is what it does for the ecosystem'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
August 26 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Tuesday’s political cartoons include a simple guide to gerrymandering, a MAGA-approved Cracker Barrel logo, and an FBI raid at John Bolton's house
-
Abrego released from jail, faces Uganda deportation
Speed Read The wrongly deported Kilmar Abrego García is expected to be detained at an ICE check-in and deported to Uganda
-
Trump arms National Guard in DC, threatens other cities
speed read His next targets are Chicago, New York and Baltimore
-
Judge: Trump's US attorney in NJ serving unlawfully
Speed Read The appointment of Trump's former personal defense lawyer, Alina Habba, as acting US attorney in New Jersey was ruled 'unlawful'
-
Third judge rejects DOJ's Epstein records request
Speed Read Judge Richard Berman was the third and final federal judge to reject DOJ petitions to unseal Epstein-related grand jury material
-
Texas OKs gerrymander sought by Trump
Speed Read The House approved a new congressional map aimed at flipping Democratic-held seats to Republican control
-
Israel starts Gaza assault, approves West Bank plan
Speed Read Israel forces pushed into the outskirts of Gaza City and Netanyahu's government gave approval for a settlement to cut the occupied Palestinian territory in two
-
Court says labor board's structure unconstitutional
Speed Read The ruling has broad implications for labor rights enforcement in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi
-
Feds seek harsh charges in DC arrests, except for rifles
Speed Read The DOJ said 465 arrests had been made in D.C. since Trump federalized law enforcement there two weeks ago