Tony Clement’s leadership campaign is struggling to raise funds and attract caucus support, according to a source linked to the campaign.

The source, who asked not to be named, said the campaign has brought in an estimated $12,000, adding they didn’t have an exact number.

Given Clement’s competition in the Conservative leadership race, the situation calls into question how long the former cabinet minister’s campaign can stay afloat.

Even before the last fundraising quarter drew to a close on September 30, some of Clement’s opponents were trumpeting endorsements and large sums raised from donors.

As of early August, Kellie Leitch reported having raised $234,785.59 and Michael Chong said he’d taken in $84,689.38, according to Elections Canada data. Maxime Bernier claimed Thursday that he’s up to $450,000.

When iPolitics asked a number of campaign veterans in August how much a serious candidate would need to raise to run a credible campaign, the lowest number given was $500,000. Some suggested a figure closer to $1 million. The party has capped individual campaign spending at $5 million.

Clement — who launched his campaign in July, after Leitch, Chong and Bernier — is nowhere close to that, says the source.

When contacted for comment about Clement’s fundraising, campaign spokesperson Matthew Conway referred iPolitics to Clement’s campaign manager, Mike Crase, but said Crase wasn’t available until next week.

Crase himself did not respond to several emails and did not confirm whether the $12,000 figure was accurate.

Clement told iPolitics last week his campaign has scheduled a number of fundraising events over the next few weeks. A tweet from the Parkdale-High Park Conservative Association advertises a Q&A session with Clement at a cafe in Toronto on November 3.

Since other campaigns have only gotten the ball rolling recently, Clement does have time to make up ground; Andrew Scheer only launched his campaign last week.

But Scheer made his announcement flanked by a significant chunk of the Conservative caucus. Bernier has several MPs and senators working on his campaign, and right out of the gates, Conservative MP Peter Kent endorsed Michael Chong, as have former Conservative MPs Mike Wallace and C.S. Leung.

According to the source, Clement has a had a very difficult time attracting support from within the Tory caucus. His website lists no endorsements from MPs or senators.

That in itself isn’t terribly problematic — Patrick Brown won the Ontario Progressive Conservative leadership even though the majority of caucus threw their support behind his rival, Christine Elliot.

But Brown raised $1,679,071.