Rick Perry’s campaign raised more than $20 million overall during 2011. Perry camp burned through millions

Texas Gov. Rick Perry burned through the bulk of a once-sizable campaign war chest late last year in what became an increasingly desperate attempt to right his listing — and ultimately doomed — presidential campaign, federal financial disclosures released late Monday show.

Though he raised more than $20 million overall during 2011, Perry raised less than $2.9 million of that amount between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, federal records indicate, as disastrous debate performances and plummeting poll numbers crippled his fundraising efforts.


Perry’s campaign had more than $15 million cash on hand in early October. By the year’s end, that dwindled to less than $3.77 million.

And a stunning end it was: Perry led all other Republican candidates in national polls as recently as September.

Much of Perry’s cash late last year went toward media-related expenditures, Perry’s disclosures indicate, including about $5.5 million to Paint Creek Productions of Alexandria, Va.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars more went toward expenses labeled “finance consulting,” according to Perry’s report.

For the money he did raise during the year’s fourth quarter, about $101,000 of it came via several lobbyist bundlers, which the Perry campaign also disclosed Monday night. Among them: Jeffrey Miller, $36,250; Robert Davis, $17,000; Alan Sobba, $16,500 and Gaylord Hughey, $15,500.

Prominent Texas businesspeople, such as former TXU Corp. Chairman Erle Nye, and notable politicos, including former presidential candidate Steve Forbes, ranked among Perry donors during late 2011.

Perry reported $93,745.00 in debt as of Dec. 31. The two biggest chunks: nearly $50,000 in printing and postage due Arlington, Va.-based Advantage Inc., and $43,000 owed to Norway Hill Associates, Inc, in Hancock, N.H., for web service and catering.

Perry officially exited the presidential race Jan. 19 — two days before the South Carolina presidential primary — after finishing fifth in the Iowa caucuses and dead last among major candidates in the New Hampshire primary.

Upon dropping out, Perry endorsed former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who today is locked in a bitter Florida primary battle with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) and former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) also remain in the GOP presidential hunt.

Federal political candidates, by law, are required to file year-end campaign finance reports by the end of Tuesday.