Jeb Bush's presidential bid is coming through a rough spot, and a drop in campaign donations is forcing the former Florida governor to make some of his campaign trips on commercial planes.

The less than glamorous travel arrangements are due to an unexpected drop in fundraising during August, the Washington Post reported, and may require a bit of adjustment for a candidate who spent most of the year traveling on private jets to campaign events.

Bush seems to have his hopes pinned on the second presidential debate of Republican White House hopefuls, which is set to take place on Wednesday, Reuters said.

The former Florida governor's goal is to "show more energy without losing his calm (and) give a needed boost to his campaign after losing his front-runner status to billionaire firebrand Donald Trump," the newswire commented.

Bush has fit rehearsals for the debate into a tight schedule of campaign rallies and fundraisers. After an August campaign event at a convention center in Pensacola, Florida, he spent a few hours rehearsing with aides at a Hyatt hotel next to the city airport, the Washington Post detailed.

But Al Cardenas, a longtime friend and donor, told the newspaper that the effort was less about winning a debate, and more about emphasizing his conservative record and credentials.

"He entered this race with burdens no else had to share," he said. "The so called Bush identity and a misperception on his positions on education and immigration. So, while others entered the race with a mostly blank canvas, he has had to erase a biased and incorrect one before he can gain traction amongst a conservative audience which will largely decide his fate."

In his home state, meanwhile, the (Broward County) Sun-Sentinel wondered in a Monday editorial whether "anybody really [believes that] Jeb Bush can successfully take on Donald Trump."

"if Bush can't beat Trump in a debate," the newspaper commented, "how can anyone believe he can be a strong president? How will he deal with other bullies, including Russia and Iran?"