Perry to Embark on Texas Fundraising Blitz

Former Gov. Rick Perry is launching a seven-city fundraising tour across his home state, hoping to capitalize on the momentum from his presidential campaign kick-off a week ago.

Perry's blitz will include nine events over four days next week, taking him to Beaumont, Dallas, Houston, Lubbock, Midland, Mission and San Antonio, according to invitations obtained by The Texas Tribune. The trip will give him an opportunity to make a fresh pitch to Texas' much-sought-after GOP donors after making official his second bid for the White House on June 4 outside Dallas.

Perry's hosts include a number of longtime supporters, some veterans of a political action committee that laid the groundwork for his 2016 run. They include San Antonio Spurs owner Peter Holt, Midland oilman Mickey Long, San Antonio businessman Jim Leininger and San Antonio real estate developer Gene Powell. Pipeline mogul Kelcy Warren and car dealer Red McCombs are opening up their homes for Perry fundraisers in Dallas and San Antonio, respectively.

Other prominent GOP donors feting Perry next week include Houston engineer Jim Dannenbaum, Dallas telecommunications executive Kenny Troutt and Houston restaurateur Tilman Fertitta. 

Like it did during a similar fundraising blitz earlier this year in Texas, Perry's team is hosting events in Dallas and Houston aimed toward a younger crowd. In Dallas, the so-called Emerging Leaders Host Committee includes Perry's son Griffin and his wife. 

At least one of the events costs $2,700 per person or $5,400 per couple to host, according to an invitation. It costs $1,000 to attend as a "patron," $500 to attend as a "sponsor" and $250 to attend as a "guest."

Perry's team believes it will cost $50 million to $100 million to run a winning primary campaign. He is getting outside help from a super PAC that is already spending hundreds of thousands to air TV ads praising him in early-voting Iowa. 

Perry's tour comes as his rivals for the GOP nomination continue to flock to Texas to fill their coffers for the 2016 race. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker have visited or will visit the state this month to meet behind closed doors with the state's GOP elite. The super PAC supporting former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who is expected to make his 2016 run official Monday, is also raising money this month in the Lone Star State.

Disclosure: Red McCombs is a major donor to The Texas Tribune. A complete list of Tribune donors and sponsors can be viewed here.