Reuters: Politics: Romney tops Obama in fundraising in May

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Romney tops Obama in fundraising in May Jun 7th 2012, 16:00 1 of 2. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney speaks during a campaign stop at Southwest Office Systems in Fort Worth, Texas June 5, 2012. Credit: Reuters/Darrell Byers By Deborah Charles and Matt Spetalnick WASHINGTON | Thu Jun 7, 2012 12:00pm EDT WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and Republican groups raised more than $76.8 million in May, his campaign said on Thursday, topping the more than $60 million President Barack Obama and his Democratic allies hauled in. Romney's campaign and the Republican National Committee have $107 million in cash on hand, the campaign said. Obama's cash on hand figure was not immediately available. "We are encouraged by the financial support from a broad range of voters, said Romney national finance chairman Spencer Swick. "It is clear that people aren't willing to buy into 'hope and change' again. Voters are making an investment because they believe that it will benefit the country." The Romney and Republican fundraising numbers were reported hours after Obama and his Democratic allies announced they had hauled in more than $60 million for his re-election campaign in May - a large jump for the president. Obama's new totals helped him easily surpass April's donations of $43.6 million, which had marked a decline from the month before as Romney closed the contributions gap. The fundraising figures came in after Tuesday's closely watched Republican victory in the recall election for Wisconsin's governor, which raised warning flags that Democratic fundraising and campaign organizing could pose problems for the president in the November 6 general election. Obama's campaign staff announced the new figures in a series of Twitter messages on Thursday, saying: "Thanks for everyone who chipped in." Obama's advisers are increasingly concerned that his campaign fundraising advantage as a sitting president is being undercut by huge sums being raised by conservative outside groups to buy advertising to attack his record. More than 572,000 people contributed last month to the Obama campaign and Democratic groups affiliated with it, and more than 147,000 of them were first-time donors, the president's campaign said. Obama's team said 98 percent of the donations last month were for less than $250. The average donation was $54.94, it added. Romney's campaign said 93 percent of all donations - from more than 297,000 people - in May were $250 or less. The campaign said contributions came from all 50 states and Washington. Obama's May totals included a fundraiser with actor George Clooney, who helped raise nearly $15 million with an event at his Los Angeles home along with a separate raffle offering tickets for small-amount donors. "If nothing else, Romney's fundraising efforts in May indicate Republicans and conservatives across America are uniting behind him as the standard bearer for the November elections," Republican strategist Ron Christie said. "Romney's impressive numbers indicate he will have the financial support to compete against the president both on the air and with get-out-the-vote efforts." (Additional reporting by Patricia Zengerle, Susan Heavey and Sam Youngman; Editing by Eric Beech) Link this Share this Digg this Email Reprints

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