WASHINGTON — Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton ended September with more money in the bank than rival Barack Obama, holding $35 million cash on hand for the presidential primary contests to his $32 million.
Both were far ahead of Rudy Giuliani, the money leader on the Republican side, underscoring the financial disparity between the parties.
Giuliani reported $11.6 million in the bank for the GOP primaries.
Clinton, who had trailed Obama in fundraising and in money in the bank at the end of June, edged past him with an aggressive third quarter.
Neither Obama nor Clinton had yet filed detailed reports of their third-quarter finances with the Federal Election Commission. The reports were due at 11:59 p.m. EDT Monday.
Clinton, who also has been raising money for the general election, had a total of $50 million in the bank, her campaign said Monday night. But $15 million of that cannot be used for the primaries.
Obama had a similar cash-on-hand amount at the end of June, meaning he likely spent the $20 million he has reported raising from July through September. Clinton appears to have spent less than the $22 million she raised for the primaries.
Among Republicans, presidential candidate Mitt Romney spent $21 million on his campaign during the third quarter, more than twice what he raised during the period and more than what he spent in previous quarters, according to his FEC report.
The former Massachusetts governor, who has been tapping his personal wealth to supplement money from contributors, raised $9.8 million and lent his campaign $8.5 million over the summer. Giuliani reported spending $13 million during the same period, compared to the $10.2 million he raised for the primary campaign.
Giuliani also raised about $1.3 million to spend on the general election if he wins the nomination.
Fred Thompson, who didn’t officially enter the race until early September, reported spending $5.4 million during the quarter, more than half of it last month.
Thompson, whose report covers fundraising and spending since June, when he began exploring a presidential bid, raised $12.8 million during that four month-period. He reported $7.1 million in the bank at the end of September and $678,000 in debts.
Romney reported $9.2 million cash in hand. He has raised $45 million since January, but leads all Republican candidates with $52.8 million in spending for the year.
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee reported raising $1 million during the quarter, his best. He had $650,000 cash on hand. Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., raised $925,745 over the past three months.
Related
Tancredo to file N.H. ballot forms. U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado files paperwork today to have his name on the New Hampshire presidential primary ballot.
The Littleton Republican will go to the secretary of state’s office in Concord, N.H., where he’ll hand over the required $1,000 fee and sign papers.
He is the first of the known candidates who will file to be included on the ballot, said aide Shelly Uscinski.
Tancredo is making a three-day swing through the state, which is expected to have the country’s first presidential primary.
Thompson: Giuliani too liberal WASHINGTON — Republican presidential contender Fred Thompson criticized rival Rudy Giuliani on Monday, likening him to a liberal and questioning the former New York City mayor’s loyalty to the GOP.
“I believe that conservatives beat liberals only when we challenge their outdated positions, not embrace them,” Thompson said in remarks to the Conservative Party of New York. “This is not a time for philosophical flexibility. It is a time to stand up for what we believe in.”
Giuliani backs abortion and gay rights, and his central argument for the nomination is that he has the best chance to win the general election.
Denver Post wire services
