With Perry away, $32K spent on fill-ins

AUSTIN (AP) - Gov. Rick Perry spent 126 days outside Texas during his unsuccessful run for president and the state paid more than $32,000 for the lieutenant governor or Senate pro tem to fill in for him.

When Perryis out-of-state for a full day, about $411 in acting governor pay goes to fellow Republican and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst.

If Dewhurst is absent too, it goes to Republican Sen. Mike Jackson of La Porte.

That worked out to $32,466 while Perry was crisscrossing the country in pursuit of the GOP presidential nomination between Aug. 13 and Jan. 19.

The governor's office said Monday that Dewhurst collected $29,589 and Jackson got $2,876.

Dewhurst and state senators normally make just $7,200 annually in base salary.

As governor, Perry is paid $150,000 per year.