Why Rick Perry decided to stay in the GOP race

[ellisonz]

Supporters of Texas Gov. Rick Perry watch as he speaks after the results from the Iowa caucuses Tuesday evening. (Jonathan Gibby / Getty Images)

By Paul West and Mark Z. Barabak
January 4, 2012, 12:39 p.m.
Reporting from Manchester, N.H., and Des Moines—

So, after giving every indication that he was pulling up stakes, why did Texas Gov. Rick Perry decide to stay in the presidential race after all?

According to multiple sources in the governor's campaign, the post-Iowa plan was always to continue if he finished third. If he was fourth, most advisors in the campaign were in favor of continuing. But if he was fifth, the plan was to reassess, which to some insiders meant he'd probably quit.

Mark Miner, a Perry spokesman, seemed to imply as much when asked Monday, in Sioux City, Iowa, what would happen if Perry finished next-to-last. In that event, he said, “You gotta make a call.”

When Perry said late caucus night that he was going to reassess, most people in politics -- including some in his own camp -- took that to mean he would be quitting on his own terms.

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-why-rick-perry-decided-to-stay-in-the-gop-race-20120104,0,7202613.story

[Tuesday Afternoon]

1. because he is a dumbass, thats why.

[OKNancy]

2. So reading the rest of the article

He isn't going to quit because those around him, especially his wife can't believe he could ever lose, and he still has a bucket load of money, so "why not?".

ETA: read Tuesday Afternoon's post so I will add this: and he is a dumbass

[Autumn]

3. So their vacant, lifeless stares kind of moved him.

How touching. Seriously, what the fuck are they doing with their hands????

[ellisonz]

7. Correct.

They're "clenching" for a Sarah Palin endorsement.

[MagickMuffin]

4. $400,000 a month of Texas taxpayers footing the bill;

why would he want to drop out

After all he thinks every Texan is benefitting from his run.

[JoePhilly]

5. He's going to go after Santorum.

See if he can FLIP Santorum voters back to the Perry camp.

That's the plan.

[Bucky]

8. The way people keep rolling up and down in the polls, it's not a bad bet.

And I mean, what else does he have to do? It's not like being governor of Texas demands any real work from him.

[customerserviceguy]

12. If he does

he'll actually make Santorum a sympathetic figure to the GOP base. Naw, he's in it to trash Romney, and he thinks that he's more "South Carolina" than either Santorum or Newt. I guess he's written off New Hampshire, so Huntsman-style, it won't make any difference that he comes in dead last there.

[11 Bravo]

14. I hope he wears a rubber glove.

[Pisces]

6. I think a deep pocket Romney supporter has offered him something to stay. They don't want his votes

going to Santorum, which could make Romney look bad. This has everything to do with politics and nothing to do with his family.

[Ilsa]

9. I think that is it, even if Perry doesn't realize it.

I think Perry's campaign will have a financial white horse, if he needs one, to push forward to draw votes away from Santorum so Romney will prevail.

[REP]

10. Because he has nothing to go home to

[PuffedMica]

11. Rick Perry wants to accumulate enough delegates to broker a chance at Vice President

He is such a loser Republican, even a secondary position is good enough for him.

[orwell]

13. Because there aren't enough batshit crazy white guys...

...in the RepubliCon race.

Besides, SkyGod© told him to do it...