GOP candidates falling short in funding [View All]

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0114DonationsGOP0114.html

Janet Hook
Los Angeles Times
Jan. 14, 2008 12:00 AM

WASHINGTON - Republican presidential candidates, losing the fundraising advantage their party has enjoyed for decades, are starting to feel the pinch.

Tight for cash, Mitt Romney has pulled down television advertising in two key states. Rudolph Giuliani has cut his payroll and moved staff from states that he is writing off. Even Mike Huckabee, the ascendant winner of the GOP Iowa caucuses, has fallen short of his fundraising goals.

Republicans' fundraising has lagged far behind the Democrats' in a year when there is no clear GOP front-runner, many voters are dissatisfied with their choices and many analysts are predicting a Democratic victory in the fall.

One measure of Democrats' advantage: In the wake of her New Hampshire primary victory, Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York received more than $6 million in cash and pledges in a matter of days. The Republicans' New Hampshire winner, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, raised less than $1 million, even though the day after the primary was his biggest fundraising day of the campaign.

As of Sept. 30, the Republican candidates combined reported having $42.7 million in cash on hand, which was $8 million less than Clinton alone, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.