Apr 20, 2008 5:48 pm US/Pacific
Obama Raises Most Campaign Money In March
WASHINGTON (AP) ―
New campaign finance reports show Barack Obama entered April with $51 million in the bank to mount his campaign for the White House.
His cash on hand fully equipped him to confront Democratic rival Hillary Rodham Clinton in Pennsylvania, which votes Tuesday.
Obama's fundraising in March led all candidates, but was still lower than the mark he set in February, when he raised more than $55 million. He has raised $235 million in his campaign.
Aides say Clinton raised about $20 million in March, but she had not filed her report with the Federal Election Commission a couple of hours before the deadline
Sen. John McCain latest financial reports show him in the best financial condition of his presidential drive with $11.6 million in the bank at the end of March.
In a report filed Sunday, the Arizona senator says he raised $15.2 million in March, his top monthly fundraising performance of the campaign. His fundraising still significantly trails Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, the two Democrats in the race.
Presidential candidates have until midnight Sunday to submit their March reports. Obama and Clinton aides say they will file later in the day.
McCain refunded donors about $3 million in contributions, most of it money he had received for the general election. The refunds set the stage for McCain to accept about $84 million in public funds for the fall campaign.
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