I have long had a soft spot for Gov. Rick Perry. I became aware of Gov. Perry at the first RedState Gathering. Over the years, as I learned more and more about his governance of Texas, Perry has grown on me.

I am a big fan of Perry’s four principles of governing:

1. Do not spend all the money.
2. Tax and regulatory policy must be fair and predictable.
3. Have a legal system that does not allow over suing.
4. Have an appropriately funded and accountable public school system.

These principles are simple, sound and they work. Just look at how well Texas did while Perry was governor.

Last week’s news that Perry’s campaign was suffering financially bothered me. The GOP is blessed to have a number of very good 2016 candidates for president. And while some, like Peter Suderman — a senior editor at Reason magazine, explain that even the seriously substantive campaign Perry is running gets no attention or traction because Donald Trump is sucking all the oxygen out of the coverage. Others, such as David Paleologos — director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center say the field needs to be thinned out.

It appears that Donald Trump’s lead is strong so long as the number of active opponents remains above a dozen. If the Republican field were winnowed down to five or six candidates, Trump’s 17% probably wouldn’t be enough to win in Iowa. … The long-shot candidates staying in the race help keep Trump on top—at least for now.

I’m all for a winnowing, but I don’t want Gov. Perry out this early. The campaign is just getting started and Perry can bring much to the discussion. If you agree, consider joining Aaron’s money bomb and help Gov. Perry with a donation.