Alabama businessman weathers storm in tumultuous Ben Carson campaign

Propelled by an impressive fundraising operation helmed by Alabama businessman Dean Parker, Republican presidential hopeful Ben Carson enjoyed a meteoric — but ultimately brief — rise to the top tier of the GOP field in late October and early November of this year.

A CBS News/New York Times poll released October 27th found Carson leading the field at 26 percent, four points above Donald Trump, who has maintained a sizable lead for much of the past six months. Just over a week later, Carson was again atop the field in a Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll.

In the middle of it all has been Mr. Parker, one of Alabama’s most successful entrepreneurs, who put his business ventures on hold to become Carson’s National Finance Chairman.

Carson’s popularity among grassroots conservatives, combined with Mr. Parker’s business acumen, turned the campaign into a “cash juggernaut,” according to Politico.

But as voters’ began to focus more on national security issues, Carson’s campaign faltered. Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz rose nationally and in early voting states, Donald Trump solidified his position as the frontrunner, but Carson’s polling numbers dropped like a stone, seemingly overnight.

In an interview with the Washington Post this week, Carson placed the blame for his drop in the polls squarely on his paid advisers, and said he’s preparing to make a major campaign shakeup.

“I’m looking at every aspect of the campaign right now. Everything is on the table, every job is on the table. And we’re going to analyze it very carefully,” he said. “It’s not perfect and we’re going to work on it.”

Carson expressed exasperation that his campaign has been described as a “rat hole” for small-dollar donations.

Internal campaign budget documents reviewed by the Wall St. Journal revealed that in October, when Dr. Carson was polling at his best, his political operation was apparently performing at its worst. The campaign raised $8.8 million during the month, but spent $9.5 million.

Campaign spokesperson Doug Watts dismissed the numbers, saying the campaign only appeared to be underwater because it had pre-paid that month for advertising that would not be released until later.

“You can easily go upside down in a budget report that’s on a cash basis without actually being upside down,” Mr. Watts told the Journal. “You’re paying for expenses that you are incurring for future activities, for future fundraising activities or for future campaign activities.”

But concerns about the campaign’s finances have persisted.

Harold Doley, a former Reagan administration official who hosted a fundraiser for Carson in October, told the Wall St. Journal he believes some members of Carson’s campaign team were seeking to enrich themselves. “They didn’t want to hear any strategy other than their own, which is a very expensive strategy,” Mr. Doley said.

According to a source close to the Carson campaign, Mr. Parker has been a bright spot in an otherwise bleak situation.

“Dean has done a good job raising money for Dr. Carson. He doesn’t need any of it for himself,” the source said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on behalf of the campaign. “That cannot be said of some of the other people involved. These professional political consultants find all kinds of ways to wet their beaks, so to speak. Unfortunately for the $10 and $20 and $50 donors who believe in Dr. Carson, only a fraction of their money has been put to good use.”

Stories in the Washington Post and Associated Press have suggested campaign manager Barry Bennett may be one of the advisers being pushed out.

“I’m getting ready to have a conversation with him,” Bennet told the AP when asked about Carson’s plans to shake things up. “Why don’t I have that conversation and call you back.”

Carson’ longtime business adviser Armstrong Williams was more direct: “Dr. Carson is back in charge.”