Texas Governor Rick Perry rocketed into the fray of Republican candidates seeking the party’s nomination when he announced his candidacy this past August. Trends in Gallup poll numbers show the popularity he enjoyed early on is waning as he now trails other prominent candidates after polling double-digit margins in the weeks after his announcement.

Poor performances in debates, most notably his “oops” moment, and dual gaffes in a recent New Hampshire speech have Perry defending himself from detractors. Despite the decline, Perry has not indicated he is ready to throw in the towel and settle in for a longer tenure as governor of Texas.