Obama campaign reports $32-million infusion
The January surge in fundraising positions the Illinois senator for the Feb. 5 Democratic primaries and caucuses in 22 states. He and Clinton face off in L.A. tonight.
Money, the fuel for the national presidential nominating sweepstakes, took center stage as the leading Democratic candidates braced for their first one-on-one debate tonight.
Illinois Sen. Barack Obama's campaign reported this morning that in January it had raised $32 million that can be used for the primary battle against New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.
That one-month take was more than Obama raised in any three-month period in 2007, campaign aides said this morning.
Clinton and Obama are set to face off this evening in Los Angeles after former Sen. John Edwards left the field Wednesday.
On the Republican side, the leading candidates were recovering from a contentious debate Wednesday night. Arizona Sen. John McCain will campaign in Los Angeles and is expected to pick up the endorsement of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger today.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney will start an intensive television campaign in California and elsewhere, his campaign announced this morning.
Democrats and Republicans are gearing up for Tuesday primaries and caucuses in 24 states. Democrats will chose more than half of the delegates to its nominating convention and Republicans slightly less than half.
With such a large prize at stake, the mood is getting testy and the need for money growing.
Obama's strong financial showing follows a month in which he won contests in two states, energizing his backers.
In the hour after polls closed in South Carolina, for example, the Obama campaign reported receiving $500,000 in donations delivered through his its site. The campaign reported 170,000 new donors.
The money positions Obama for the Feb. 5 primary contests, when 22 states will be in play for the Democratic nomination. Obama press secretary Bill Burton said the infusion of money would permit the first-term senator for Illinois to "aggressively" advertise in states beyond the Super Tuesday contest next week.
There were also additional funds raised that could be used only if he wins the nomination, Burton said.
Both Clinton and Obama have scheduled fundraisers for tonight. Singer Barbra Streisand will attend Clinton's. Obama's fundraiser is at a Hollywood club.
The Schwarzenegger endorsement could help McCain, who is leading the GOP in California, according to polls.
McCain also got a lift from his victory in Florida and the Wednesday endorsement by former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, who formally dropped out of the presidential race after he was trounced in Florida.
With top GOP figures coalescing around McCain, who has a slight lead in delegates according to most counts, Romney needs a strong showing to slow the Arizona senator's momentum.
On the Republican side, 1,191 national convention delegates are needed to control the nomination. About 1,023 are up for grabs on Tuesday - 170 in California alone.
dan.morain@latimes.com
michael.muskal@latimes.com
Times staff writer Maria L. LaGanga contributed to this story.
