Obama tops Hillary by $5 million

 

Hat Tip: The Swamp, By John McCormick and Mike Downing

Presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama reported today that he raised at least $32.5 million during the second quarter of the year, enough to likely make him the top money raiser among Democrats during the latest quarter and for the year so far.

The second-quarter figure showed Obama’s fundraising pace is accelerating even from the staggering $25.7 million he raised during the first quarter. His campaign said that about $31 million of the second-quarter total were dollars that can be used for the primary campaign.

“Together, we have built the largest grassroots campaign in history for this stage of a presidential race,” Obama said in a statement. “We now have hundreds of thousands of Americans who are ready to demand health care for all, energy independence, and an end to this war in Iraq. That’s the kind of movement that can change the special interest-driven politics in Washington and transform our country. And it’s just the beginning.”

Obama’s campaign Web site on Sunday morning reported nearly 258,000 overall donors for the first six months of the year, meaning about 154,000 new donors gave him money during the second quarter.

“Every day over the past three months, over 1,500 Americans have made clear to Barack Obama that they believe in his vision for our country by contributing to his campaign,” Chicagoan Penny Pritzker, Obama’s national finance chair, said in a statement.

Earlier this weekend, the campaign of former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards said it had raised more than $9 million during the quarter, down from the $14 million he raised during the first three months of the year.

The campaign for New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said Friday that he raised more than $7 million during the second quarter.

For her part, Sen Hillary Clinton is expected to raise somewhere north of $27 million, based on guidance provided by her campaign late last week. That would be up from the $26.1 million she raised during the first quarter.

The Clinton campaign did not break down how much of her funding was available for use in the primary. During the first quarter, about three-quarters of Clinton’s total funds raised were available for use in the primary campaign.

Federal campaign finance rules limit contributors to a $2,300 contribution to a candidate’s primary campaign. But big-dollar donors also can contribute up to an additional $2,300 for use only during the general election campaign.

Barack’s hustle is working like gangbusters-the “Safe Negro” is on fire.