Rick Perry's Son Says Dad Will Be 'Well-Rested' for Debate

Alex Wong/Getty Images(PLYMOUTH, N.H.) -- While his father hunkered down in preparation for Tuesday night’s debate, 28-year-old Griffin Perry vouched for Rick Perry’s debate capabilities, saying his father will be “well-rested” and better prepared for the Republican Debate at Dartmouth College.

“I think he’s going to do very well in the debate tomorrow,” Griffin Perry told ABC News Monday evening before the Grafton County GOP Columbus Day Dinner in Plymouth, New Hampshire.  “He’s not here this evening because he’s resting up, you know.  He was very focused on raising money and did a very good job at that.  Now the focus will be the debates and when he gets focused he can do anything.”

Perry lost his front-runner status in the polls after his shaky debate performance in Orlando -- which Perry's camp blamed on his being tired -- and an unexpected loss in the Florida P5 straw poll over two weeks ago. He took off the two days prior to the New Hampshire debate to rest and prepare for the showdown. Griffin said his father will focus on one message -- “jobs, jobs, jobs.”

Griffin Perry, the oldest of Perry’s two children, recently left his job with Deutsche Bank to start an independent consulting firm so he can focus more time campaigning for his father’s presidential bid.  Griffin will be on the trail in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida in the coming months and has already spoken at fundraisers on behalf of his father’s campaign.

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