President Barack Obama’s re-election arm raised a record $86 million from April to June, illustrating strong enthusiasm among Democrats and providing the president with enough money to set up extensive campaign operations.
Obama’s fundraising haul is the most any presidential candidate has ever raised during this time frame. More than half the total, about $47 million, was given directly to Obama, with the other $38 million or so going to the Democratic National Committee.
Obama’s total dwarfs the amount raised by Republican Mitt Romney, who had $18.5 million to lead the field of candidates vying to take on the president. In fact, the president’s amount tops the $35 million taken in by all the Republican hopefuls combined.
The money provides Obama with a strategic advantage: While the Republicans will have to spend much of what they raise this year competing against one another, the president can build up his funds or invest in campaign operations.
Campaign officials are already hiring spokespeople for key regions, working to register people to vote and having volunteers contact past supporters and encourage them to get behind Obama again. They have opened 60 offices in states across the country.
The 552,462 people who donated to the president, including 260,000 who did not give in 2008, suggests a solid number of supporters may campaign as hard as they did in 2008, despite frustration among some with his decisions.
But the rules of fundraising have been reshaped after a Supreme Court decision that overturned bans on corporate giving. While the Republican presidential candidates are far behind Obama in fundraising, outside conservative groups that can raise contributions in unlimited amounts are likely to narrow any gap.
