Bad for Gingrich, good for Perry?
(CNN) - Close ties between two of the Newt Gingrich's departing senior staffers and Texas Gov. Rick Perry are fueling speculation about a potential Perry presidential campaign.
Gingrich staff members Rob Johnson, who was the former House Speaker's campaign manager, and David Carney, a Gingrich senior adviser, are two of Governor Perry's top political confidantes.
Their resignation from the Gingrich presidential campaign now frees them to assist Perry should he decide to seek the GOP nomination.
Perry recently said he plans to consider a presidential bid after the Texas legislative session concludes.
One Republican told CNN that while a potential Perry candidacy was not the cause of the Gingrich resignations, it might be the effect.
A senior GOP strategist told CNN's Chief Political Analyst Gloria Borger that some of Perry's top donors have been calling around Washington this week asking what Perry should do.
Meanwhile, a Perry adviser in Austin said Johnson and Carney "can now talk to the rest of" Perry's advisers "where they couldn't before."
"Nobody could have discussions because they were working for Newt," the adviser said.
The adviser added, "There have been no decisions or happenings in Texas concerning Gov. Perry. There's been no meetings, no discussions [among Perry's inner circle]."
Despite the 2012 buzz, Perry's office continues to insist that the governor has no current plans to run for president.
Perry's communications director Mark Miner stated the obvious. "There is no campaign," he said.
Miner called Johnson "a key player" in Perry-world but said there have been "no discussions that I am aware of" between him and the governor about a possible campaign.
Asked about Perry's interest in the White House, Miner told CNN that the governor "has been very consistent in saying that he is thinking about it, like he is a lot of things these days."
Miner dismissed talk of a shadow campaign being organized by donors and other Perry supporters.
"There are people that think they know what is going on, but they don't," he said.
- CNN's Steve Brusk, Gloria Borger, Mark Preston, Peter Hamby, Abby Livingston, and Tracy Sabo contributed to this report.
Isn't Governor Perry the one who wanted his state to secede? His outbursts are interesting as are those of the Governor of Maine. He has been outspoken on many issues and not always positively engaged in the running of his state. Please take the time to familiarize yourself with his actions and statements.
The Governor comes from a state with tremendous resources. The oil industry is not going anywhere and he has their backing. He will not be afraid to get the backing of big business even though that means he cannot be a man of the people.
another Texas governor in the White House...uh yeah, that one worked out so well the last time
Anyone who knows anything about Texas politics knows that Perry is former Dem who became an extreme right wing radical over the years. He panders to voters' basest instincts using fear, hate, ignorance and lies. He would be worse for America than our last former Texas governor. 'nuff said.
I hope Perry runs so that Obama can truly have a historic landslide victory!