Candidates begin hunting for ‘08 funds
WASHINGTON - In one month, Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney brought in a hefty $1.4 million-plus from donors to his Web site.
In one day, he secured a jaw-dropping $6.5 million in contributions and pledges from others — and he still has at least a dozen fundraisers planned and nearly two more months to raise cash online and elsewhere before March 31.
That’s the end of the first financial quarter of 2007 — and the first big test of who is a viable White House candidate.
The deadline is prompting Republican and Democratic contenders alike to focus heavily on raking in cash in the first few months of the year as they seek to generate a sense of momentum for their candidacies and ensure they have enough money to be competitive in next year’s nominating contests.
“There’s more pressure than ever before to raise money early,” said Anthony Corrado of Colby College in Maine, who specializes in presidential elections and campaign finance.
So, such top-tier candidates as Republican Sen. John McCain and Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton are working to make good on the widely held belief that they can raise $80 million to $100 million this year alone.
