The Republican National Committee raised a record $32.3 million from January through March, more than double
the Democrats' total.
The RNC finished March with $26.2 million on hand, Chairman Ken Mehlman said yesterday. The money it collected
in the first quarter tops its fundraising during the same period in 2001 and 2002, before the national party committees were
banned from collecting corporate and unlimited donations. It also exceeds RNC's fundraising in early 2003, the first year
the parties were limited to contributions from individuals and political action committees.
The Democratic National Committee raised $13.8 million in the first quarter. That includes at least $1 million
a week since former Vermont governor and presidential hopeful Howard Dean took over as chairman in mid-February. The committee
has $7.2 million in the bank...
Dean and Mehlman have been traveling the country to raise money. The Republican committee has held
at least 19 fundraisers coast to coast. Yet to come is its biggest event of the year: an annual gala headlined by President
Bush. Rather than stockpiling the money to spend when the fall 2006 elections near, the RNC is starting to tap it now
for campaign efforts.
