Is Governor Perry’s Campaign Cash About A Vendetta?

Much has been made of Governor Perry’s $881,000 in campaign cash raised in the 12 days of June following the close of the 80th Texas Legislature.

The Express-News’ Clay Robinson seems to think that the fund-raising cash shows Perry isn’t a lame duck and that donors are simply ‘hedging their bets’ by giving:

The $881,000 secret is out, folks. Gov. Rick Perry is NOT a lame duck.

No, the political donors who gave the governor that much money during 12 generous days in June don’t know if he will seek another term. Some may hope he does, while others probably pray that he doesn’t.

But they all can read a calendar.

The next gubernatorial election won’t be until 2010, but the next regular legislative session will be in 2009 and — barring a lightning strike on the presidential campaign trail — Perry still will be governor then, still in a position to promote or veto the contributors’ priorities.

It very well may be that contributors are making their donations to make sure they get a foot in the door. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time that Perry has received cash from campaign contributors and then acted favorably on their behalf (cough, cough — Merck — cough, cough — TXU — cough, cough).

However, I think it’s about something more than that: Vendetta coupled with a desire for another term.

A lot of Republicans deserted Governor Perry on everything from his plans for the state lottery to his HPV vaccine proposal to just about everything else on his legislative agenda.

And, of course, Governor Perry has a “legacy” he wants to protect as he edges ever closer to becoming (careful not to vomit) Texas’ longest serving governor (if you threw up in your mouth a little, that’s to be expected).

Right now, Perry’s legacy is essentially best described as somewhere between a train wreck and a huge joke. And, the 80th Legislature did little to bring it up to a higher level—say one where it could be described as somewhere between a bowl of warm, soggy corn flakes and a half-empty two-liter bottle of stale Mountain Dew.

So, Perry’s worried about his legacy. And, should he not run for governor in 2010 (more on that later), then 2009 is his last, best, and final chance to drag his legacy kicking and screaming from the nearest dumpster.

And, to drag his legacy kicking and screaming from the dumpster—and, indeed, to avoid further damage to his legacy (such that it is)—he’s going to need a cooperative, complacent (and Republican) Legislature.

So, he’s raising campaign cash for all this. Why? Because he can exercise a little Vendetta by scaring some Legislative R’s into thinking he might drop a few thousand into one of their primary opponents’ coffers.

And, of course, Perry can always use the money against Democrats. After all, it already looks like Perry will be presiding over the state when both houses of the Legislature switch back to Democratic control in 2008 or, at the latest, 2010. That’s yet another ding in the veneer of his legacy.

Finally, there is the possibility that certainly no one on the Republican side really wants to face: that Perry is running again. After all, he’s fairly young and needs to repair his legacy. Perhaps he believes a 3rd term will do that. That, and I believe he knows he can’t win a U.S. Senate race and simply doesn’t have “it” to run for President (though a Veep spot is a possibility–although he is likely in line behind Kay Granger and Kay Bailey Hutchison for that if the eventual GOP nominee wants a veep from Texas).

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