While it's not official yet, there are some leaked reports that the Rick Perry campaign raised $10 million during his first six weeks in the race. That's really good news for Perry. It means a couple of things.
- He has broad enough support to show he can raise money to compete with Mitt Romney.
- He has enough money to try to crawl out of the hole he's recently dug himself on the campaign trail.
More good news for Perry: He doesn't have to worry about New Jersey Chris Christie entering the race for the GOP nomination. The popular governor just announced, "Now is not my time," in a press conference.
But you certainly could argue that if your campaign would take a hit from an additional candidate entering the race, the campaign is on shaky ground. And Perry's campaign has not had a good couple of weeks. Which takes us to his bad news.
A new poll by ABC News and the Washington Post has Mitt Romney leading with 25 percent. Perry is tied with Herman Cain at 17 percent. The same poll showed Perry was the third most electable GOP candidates.
In head-to-head match ups with President Obama, Romney would win by two percent. Perry would lose by three percent. And Chris Christie would tie the President. But we don't have to worry about Christie anymore.
Oh yeah, and there's the fallout from the name of the ranch Gov. Perry and his family have used for hunting since the mid-80's.
So what's next for the Perry camp?
The campaign hits the campaign trail again Friday with trips to Washington D.C. and Iowa planned. Then it's back to New Hampshire for a debate at Dartmouth College. The debate will focus specifically on the economy, a topic that Gov. Perry has used as the central theme of his campaign. This should be a debate where he can hit a homerun.
On the other hand, this is a debate he where he will be expected to hit a homerun. Any stumbles will be magnified by the fact that economic issues are supposed to be one of his strengths.
