The longest-serving governor in Texas history is so cash poor that his presidential campaign has stopped paying its own advisers. National Journal first reported Monday that Perry had frozen pay for South Carolina staff, and CBS and the Washington Post soon reported the freeze applied all across the nation—including in Iowa, New Hampshire and his Austin headquarters.
"There's no way to spin this that's positive," said Matt Mackowiak, a Texas Republican strategist.
The shockingly early financial implosion (four years ago, Perry hadn't even announced his 2012 candidacy yet) is a potentially crippling blow for a candidate who, despite energetically camaigning in Iowa and elsewhere on the political circuit, has found little traction in the polls.
"We'll be able to live off the land for a while," predicted Katon Dawson, Perry's South Carolina state director.