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07:55, July 03, 2007 |
U.S. presidential hopeful Barack Obama has raised more money last three months than any other rival from his Democratic Party, surprising many experts and casting shadow on the party's front-runner Hillary Clinton's campaign, the Los Angeles Times reported Monday.
Obama, the freshman senator from Illinois, raised 32.5 million dollars in the second quarter of 2007 while Clinton, his closest Democratic presidential rival, raised 27 million dollars in the same period, according to the report.
The money amassed by Obama is more than all other Democratic candidates combined raised for the same period four years ago, and it nearly matches what President George W. Bush raised in the second quarter of 2003: 35 million dollars.
In a statement issued Sunday, Obama said that 154,000 donors had given to his campaign in the second quarter and his backers seek "healthcare for all, energy independence and an end to this war in Iraq."
"Together, we have built the largest grass-roots campaign in history for this stage of a presidential race," Obama said.
"That's the kind of movement that can change the special- interest-driven politics in Washington and transform our country," he added. "And it's just the beginning."
According to the report, top Democratic presidential candidates almost surely out-raised their Republican counterparts, who are expected to release their summaries this week.
Obama's second-quarter showing follows the 25 million dollars he raised in the first 90 days of the year, underscoring that even though he trails the more established Clinton in national polls, he quickly has created a national base in his quest for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Obama has raised 55.7 million dollars so far this year from 258, 000 donors, far more than any other candidate, while Clinton has raised 53 million dollars.
Although the winner of the money primary won't necessarily win the electoral primary, Obama's showing surprised many political observers and people wonder if his fundraising prowess would put Clinton's campaign in trouble.
The stratospheric sums raised by Obama and Clinton in the first half of the year leading up to an election year exceed amounts raised for the same time frame by any past presidential candidate, including Bush and Bill Clinton, husband of New York Senator Clinton.
Experts predict that Democratic and Republican presidential candidates will raise and spend 1 billion dollar, more than ever before, by the 2008 general election day.
Source: Xinhua
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