Former Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX) had a solid first month of fundraising for his presidential campaign, raising $1.o7 million through his campaign in the 26 days since his announcement in Addison, Texas on June 4th. Three Super PACs supporting Perry raised an additional $16.8 million.
In a statement provided to Breitbart News, Perry campaign manager Jeff Miller touted the collective fundraising efforts. “Americans are looking for a tested leader with an optimistic vision for the future, and we are pleased with the broad support Gov. Perry is receiving across the country,” said Miller. “Governor Perry is well positioned and between the campaign and independent sources, the necessary funds will be in place to run a competitive, successful campaign.”
Speaking exclusively to Breitbart News, Miller said that Perry’s campaign had 2,868 individual donors with an average donation of $376.40 per donor. This means that many of Perry’s supporters are not tapped out and can still donate more before hitting the federal maximum contribution limit of $2,700 ($5,400 per couple) in the primary.
Two-similarly named Super PACs, Opportunity and Freedom PAC and Opportunity and Freedom PAC I, raised $12.8 million so far this year, and a third PAC created on Thursday was funded with a $4 million check from a single donor, according to a report by CNN. This nearly $17 million war chest is well below the $103 million amassed by former Gov. Jeb Bush (R-FL). But as CNN notes, “it is competitive with others in the GOP field…a promising sign for Perry.”
In comparison, Super PACs supporting Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), the first Republican to enter the race back in March, raised more $37 million, and those supporting Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), who announced in April, raised almost $32 million. Nearly $17 million for Perry’s PACs less than a month after the campaign launch is certainly respectable.
The Super PACs still have most of their money raised as cash-on-hand, although they have invested in early TV and digital ad buys in Iowa. Breitbart News had the exclusive on Friday morning with Opportunity and Freedom PAC’s latest TV ad, focusing on Perry’s pro-life and gun rights record. Perry has been spending a lot of time in Iowa so far this cycle and has been getting positive reviews for his retail political skills and conservative message.
Perry is currently ranked ninth in the Real Clear Politics Polling Average, just above the top-ten threshold for the first Fox News debate. Sources within Perry’s campaign and the Super PACs have all repeatedly expressed confidence over the past few weeks that Perry will be invited to participate in the debate, and point to the positive reception to his speech on race and economics earlier this month as proof of his competitiveness in a very crowded Republican field.
Follow Sarah Rumpf on Twitter @rumpfshaker.
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