WASHINGTON — Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton reported a $1.1-million fundraising boost from her Democratic primary win in New Hampshire, and other top finishers in both political parties got big infusions of campaign money, virtually guaranteeing that the 2008 presidential campaign will exceed its already high-priced expectations.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who finished second behind Arizona Sen. John McCain in New Hampshire's GOP contest, reported a whopping $5 million in new funds after a nationwide appeal. McCain has raised more than $1 million so far this month, said spokesman Brian Roberts, adding that Wednesday was the senator's largest fundraising day of the campaign.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Saturday, January 19, 2008 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 46 words Type of Material: Correction
Campaign fundraising: A Jan. 10 article in Section A on infusions to candidates' coffers quoted Eleni Tsakopoulos-Kounalakis, a volunteer fundraiser for Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign, as saying: "Calmer people raise more money." The quote should have read, "Call more people; raise more money."
The precise amounts of each campaign's contributions won't be known until January fundraising figures are filed with the Federal Election Commission. With the primary and caucus season in full swing, the campaigns need all the money they can get.
"We have tens of millions in the bank at the end of the year, with money coming in," Clinton campaign chairman Terry McAuliffe said in a conference call Wednesday with members of the Clinton finance team. Sounding hoarse but ebullient, he said the campaign had received more than $1.1 million in contributions after Clinton made her victory speech Tuesday night. An additional $5 million has been pledged this week as well, he said.
For the fourth quarter of 2007, he said, the New York senator's campaign will report more than $24 million in contributions for the primary campaign, McAuliffe said.
Earlier Wednesday, Sen. Barack Obama's campaign manager, David Plouffe, announced that the Illinois senator's campaign had raised $22.5 million for the primary election during the last quarter of 2007. In the hours after the polls closed in New Hampshire, Obama, who finished 3 percentage points behind Clinton, received $500,000 in online donations.
Romney portrayed the $5 million in new financial commitments as evidence of his ability to match the Democrats in fundraising.
"The success of today's events shows a continued belief that I am the only Republican candidate who can match up against the Democrats in the fall," he said late Wednesday in a prepared statement.
A fundraising appeal for a $1,000-a-ticket Obama event in Chicago tonight makes reference to the New Hampshire results: "After last night, it is obvious we are in for a tough fight. Now is the time we need your support," the invitation reads.
