Perry urges his bundlers to back Newt Gingrich's campaign

During a conference call with the former House Speaker late last week, Rick Perry directly asked dozens of his biggest fundraisers to put their money behind Newt Gingrich's campaign, The Daily's Dan Hirschhorn reported Tuesday:

More than 50 of Perry's former "bundlers" — who take checks from big-money donors to campaigns — joined the Friday conference call, according to people who participated. It was both the first time Perry has directly asked a large group of supporters to join him in backing Gingrich, and the first time Gingrich joined in the fundraising ask.

"He said that Speaker Gingrich is the person to support in this race because he'll make fundamental changes consistent with how Gov. Perry feels," one person who was on the call said.

Though some of the Texas governor's former fundraisers have jumped to Mitt Romney's team, Perry told his former backers that he's sticking with the Gingrich. "He said he's all in for Newt," The Daily's source said.

- JP