Even with his White House bid now a historical footnote, Gov. Rick Perry's campaign will still make news this month when it submits a finance report for the last three months of 2011.
The report will provide a window into whether Perry's history as a stellar fundraiser was hampered by multiple stumbles on the national stage.
The question of how he intends to use any remaining money has already become a political issue.
Perry's presidential campaign made a splash in October when it announced raising more than $17 million from June to September, more than his competitors for the GOP nomination. The total was even more impressive considering that Perry's campaign was active for only 42 days, while other candidates had been hunting donations for the full three months.
Perry has a few options for what to do with leftover cash in his federal campaign account. He can keep the account open in case he decides to run for president again, which he has not ruled out. He can also donate the money to his state PAC, Texans for Rick Perry, according to the Texas Ethics Commission.
Perry's office did not respond to an inquiry about whether he had decided what to do with any leftover money.
Democrats are calling on Perry to reimburse the state for taxpayer money that was spent to cover his security detail while he campaigned around the country
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