The two returning Republican presidential candidates are struggling to keep their own donors interested.
A majority of 2012 donors to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum who've given this time have defected to other candidates. That's according to an analysis by Crowdpac.com, a nonpartisan political research company.
The donor disloyalty is contributing to financial woes in both campaigns. Perry stopped paying most staffers, and much of Santorum's top staff left to start a super PAC, which is free of contribution limits.
As the only two members of a 17-person field who competed in 2012, Perry and Santorum should have strong fundraising bases. But four years later, many donors have eyes for others. For Perry and Santorum, the most popular alternative is Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.
