Obama outpaces all in fundraising

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Most of the money he raised this quarter is designated for the primary.

LOS ANGELES TIMES

Opening a significant lead in the money primary, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama raised $32.5 million in the second quarter of 2007, eclipsing New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and other rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Clinton's aides announced earlier that she had raised $27 million in the second quarter of 2007. Her total would have set a record among Democratic presidential candidates for the same period in past campaigns.

The $32.5 million that Obama amassed is more than the $30.8 million raised by all other Democratic presidential candidates for the same period four years ago and nearly matches the $35 million that President Bush raised in the second quarter of 2003.

In a statement issued Sunday, Obama said 154,000 donors had given to his campaign in the second quarter. The freshman senator raised $31 million solely for the primary, with the remaining $1.5 million available for use in the general election if he wins the nomination. By comparison, Clinton raised $21 million for the primary, with the remainder for a general election campaign.

"Together, we have built the largest grass-roots campaign in history for this stage of a presidential race," Obama said, adding that his backers seek "health care for all, energy independence and an end to this war in Iraq."

Obama and the other candidates have until July 15 to file their full campaign finance reports detailing the exact amounts they raised in the second quarter of 2007 and identifying their donors. The quarter ended Saturday.

What's expected

Top Democratic presidential candidates almost surely out-raised their Republican counterparts. GOP candidates are expected to release their summaries this week.

Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, generally viewed as the third leading candidate for the Democratic nomination, announced he had raised $9 million in the second quarter.

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, also a Democratic contender, raised $7.2 million. Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., raised $3.25 million and had $6.5 million in the bank.

In an indication of the upward spiral in presidential fundraising, Edwards' $9 million is more than any individual Democratic candidate raised in the same period four years ago, although his total dipped from the $14 million he had amassed in the first three months of 2007.

Obama's second-quarter showing follows the $25 million he raised in the first 90 days of the year. It underscores that even though he trails Clinton in national polls, he quickly has created a national base in his quest for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Monday, July 2, 2007