Top Jeb fundraisers leave campaign amid troubling signs

[DonViejo]

The move comes amid weak poll numbers and concerns that Bush's torrid fundraising pace has slowed.

By Alex Isenstadt and Marc Caputo

08/29/15, 06:26 AM EDT

Three top Jeb Bush fundraisers abruptly parted ways with his presidential campaign on Friday, amid internal personality conflicts and questions about the strength of his candidacy, POLITICO has learned.

There are different versions of what transpired. The Florida-based fundraising consultants — Kris Money, Trey McCarley, and Debbie Aleksander — have said that they voluntarily quit the campaign and were still working with Bush's super PAC, Right to Rise Super PAC. Others said the three, who worked under the same contract, were let go because they were no longer needed for the current phase of the campaign.

None of the three responded to requests for comment. Bush spokesman Tim Miller would only say that “Governor Bush has the widest and deepest fundraising operation of any candidate in the field. Ann Herberger — a longtime aide with more than two decades of experience in state and national politics — will continue to lead the operation in Florida with our team in Miami.”

The departures came at a time of uncertainty for the Bush. While he has had massive success raising money for his Super PAC, he is overseeing an official campaign that has many more staffers but far less money. Earlier this week, the New York Times revealed that it had taken steps to rein in some of its spending and had gone so far as to cut some employee salaries. And POLITICO reported one Bush fundraiser expressed concerns about the slowing pace of the campaign’s fundraising after Bush’s shaky debate performance.

The Bush campaign wasted no time seeking a replacement for the three fundraising consultants and has reached out to Meredith O’Rourke – one of Florida’s top Republican fundraisers who briefly worked for Chris Christie’s campaign in May but left it in July. O’Rourke, who wouldn’t comment, helped Gov. Rick Scott raise about $100 million for his 2014 reelection campaign and also works for Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, who’s likely to run for governor in 2018.


Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/08/jeb-bush-president-2016-fundraisers-problems-213156#ixzz3kE3EktsU

[Gothmog]

1. Rats leaving a sinking ship

[ericson00]

2. I saw some funny pictures to that effect

on the internet. One of them was a rickety boat with the words "El Titanic" on it, which while clearly, a conservative attack on illegal immigrants (who do jobs Americans won't), was still funny to see how they eat their own.