The official deadline for Republican presidential candidates to report their second quarter fundraising totals isn't until next month, but several campaigns have offered preliminary numbers. Let's take a look.
According to The New York Times, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney has raised less than $20 million for the Republican Primary, placing him "slightly ahead of his own total during the same period four years ago." Given the smaller field and his stronger lead, Romney's numbers are a little disappointing, even as they place him far ahead of his competitors and reinforce his frontrunner status. Moreover, weaker-than-expected fundraising is possibly a sign of indecision from GOP donors, who might be waiting to evaluate another candidate (read: Rick Perry) before making a choice.
On paper, Jon Huntsman, the former governor of Utah turned ambassador to China, has done extremely well for himself, bringing in $4.1 million for the quarter, despite his recent entry into the presidential contest. According to the Washington Post, however, a substantial portion of that total comes from his personal wealth, signaling decent -- but not great -- fundraising.
Michele Bachmann is known for her prodigious fundraising in her House campaigns, and she's expected to bring that talent to her presidential bid. As The Fix notes, Bachmann has been raising funds for her House account, all of which is transferrable to her presidential campaign. If her 2010 haul of $13 million is any indication, we should expect big money from Bachmann.
Of the first-tier candidates, Tim Pawlenty might have the most disappointing numbers. His campaign expects to bring less than $5 million, some of which is reserved for a potential general election campaign, and unavailable for the Republican primary. As The Times points out, "Even if it were all primary money, that would be far less than any of the first-tier Republican candidates raised during the early stages of the 2008 race."
