Statecraft Roundup: Is Perry's campaign sinking?

SALT LAKE CITY -- Following the announcement of Texas Governor Rick Perry joining the field of Republican candidates seeking a bid at the White House, he surged to the top of the polls nearly overnight, beating out early GOP front-runner Mitt Romney.

But as Perry's candidacy evolved, with three GOP debates under his belt, he took a significant hit in the polls after failing to capture voter sentiment in the debates. As a result, Romney reclaimed the spotlight and businessman Herman Cain surged to the top of the Republican ticket, trailing Romney in national opinion polls.

And with the Bloomberg/Washington Post Republican Presidential Debate on Tuesday night, many will watch to see if Perry can reclaim his spot at the top and provide answers to the several issues voters want addressed.

Here is a look at the most recent news about Texas Governor Rick Perry.

Rick Perry:

• In the most recent Republican debates, Perry received criticism for his more liberal position on illegal immigration, saying undocumented immigrants should be given in-state tuition when attending colleges and that those who disagree "don't have a heart." The issue struck a chord with conservative voters who want to control illegal immigration without providing benefits to individuals who have come to the United States illegally.

Romney and Michele Bachmann were quick to oppose Perry's program, telling supporters the issue was not a matter of having a heart or not. "If you're opposed to illegal immigration, it doesn't mean that you don't have a heart," Romney said. "It means that you have a heart and a brain."

"We will not have taxpayer-subsidized benefits for illegal immigrants or their children," Bachmann added.

In Iowa, Perry was forced to explain his in-state tuition program, telling a crowd of supporters: "Are we going to create a class of tax wasters or are we going to create taxpayers? Texas chose the latter. Every state has the freedom to make that decision. It's not a federal issue. I would not want it to be a federal issue. What I want to do is to be the president of the United States who secures the border so future governors don't have to mess with that particular issue."

But the illegal immigration issue will continue to hover over the Perry campaign as voters start to single out their candidate of choice. Tuesday's debate will be a telling factor for the Perry campaign to see where voters stand on the issue and how well he can convince voters of his program.

1. Recent polling data has the Texas governor dropping in the polls nearly as fast as his surge to the top, which makes Tuesday's debate an important step to resurrecting Perry's campaign. One Washington Post writer even said Perry has the most at stake in Tuesday's debate, which is why Perry's campaign staff has worked to fine tune the governor's answers to avoid mistakes similar to those in the September debates.

Campaign aides have also required Perry to get more sleep before the upcoming debates in an effort to help Perry's delivery, reports Jeff Zeleny of the New York Times.

1. Rick Perry released probably his most aggressive attack ad about GOP front-runner Mitt Romney Monday. The ad called to question Romney's Republican credibility, comparing the former Massachusetts governor's health care reform plan to President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act -- a hotly contested law by the Republican Party. A statement released by Romney's campaign called into question Perry's seriousness, saying: "Rick Perry is a desperate candidate who will say and do anything to prop up his sinking campaign," Gail Gitcho, Romney's communications director said. "In trying to deflect attention from his liberal in-state tuition policy for illegal immigrats, he has restored to repeated dishonesty, distortions and fabrications about Mitt Romney." Although the ad is seen as the first gloves off attack against Romney, the Perry campaign may have a legal issue on their hands as a result of a picture used in the video. The Perry campaign allegedly used a photo from the White House Flickr account, manipulating a picture of President Obama standing before a mirror to portray the similarities between Obama and Romney.

Related:

Rick Perry on his way out, Ron Paul moving up?

Since declaring his intentions for a bid at the White House, Texas Gov. Rick Perry has stolen the media's attention for the Republican Party. Almost every national opinion poll has declared Perry as the GOP front-runner by significant margins. But what if Perry isn't around when primary season starts early next year?

The White House Flickr disclaimer reads: "This official White House photography is being made available only for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photograph. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way and may not be used in commercial or political materials, advertisements, emails, products, promotions that in any way suggest approval or endorsement of the President, the First Family, or the White House."

Perry's Communications Director Ray Sullivan told Politico: "While there are many similarities between RomneyCare and ObamaCare, there is nothing that would suggest the President endorses the content of our new ad. The ad is truthful and appropriate."

1. On Friday, Perry is expected to make his first policy address of the campaign in Pittsburgh. "Over the course of the next few days, and certainly weeks and months, we'll be laying specificity out," Perry told supporters in Iowa. Politico writer Reid Epstein said Perry planned to address what a "president can use to unilaterally deal with the issue of job creation." The address is expected to detail a plan on job creation and energy issues. *The Bloomberg/Washington Post Republican Presidential Debate is Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 6 p.m. in Hanover, N.H. To watch, visit postpolitics.com.

Email: jfurlong@ksl.com

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