Perry Ramps Up Iowa Campaign

ABC News reports:

In an attempt to boost his campaign in the Hawkeye State, Gov. Rick Perry is set to launch a major ad buy in Iowa as early as Wednesday, according to sources familiar with the purchase.

The Perry campaign is pouring approximately $175,000 into broadcast and cable ads in Iowa over the next week, a source with knowledge of the buy told ABC News.  The bulk of the ad buy — approximately $100,000 — will be in broadcast in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Sioux City.  The remaining $75,000 will go to ads on statewide cable, according to the source.

A spokesman for Perry declined to comment further on the ads, saying “We do not discuss internal strategy.” These will be Perry’s first television ads of the cycle.  (The Texas governor’s campaign has also produced a number of web videos since entering the race.)

Perry, who briefly topped Republican primary polls in Iowa soon after entering the race in August, has fallen behind Mitt Romney and an insurgent Herman Cain. According to the RealClearPolitics average, Perry only gets 7 percent of support among likely GOP caucusgoers. The Iowa caucuses will be held on January 3, seven days before New Hampshire will hold its primary.