Rick Perry taps Mississippi’s Austin Barbour to lead super PAC

Rick Perry steps up PAC staffing

Rick Perry, the former Texas governor who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012, is continuing to put the pieces in place for a 2016 campaign.

Mr. Perry is moving to establish a “super PAC” to back his effort, and has turned to Austin Barbour, a Mississippi-based lobbyist and political operative to head it, according to three people with knowledge of the moves.

Mr. Barbour’s brother, Henry, is a Republican national committee member who has supported Mr. Perry for years. The brothers’ uncle is Haley Barbour, the former Mississippi governor and a senior figure in Republican circles.

New York Times
3/2/15