The numbers are out. Yes, they're eye-popping.
The 2008 candidates have released their fundraising totals for the first quarter, and Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama and former Sen. John Edwards all handily beat the previous Democratic best, set by Al Gore in the first quarter of 1999 during his bid for the White House, reports Silla Brush.
While the candidates' individual numbers are massive, the total amount raised by the most open presidential race in the first three months of 2007 is, well, gargantuan. Official figures from the Federal Election Commission aren't due until April 15, but based on self-reported numbers, the total money raised by the top-tier presidential candidates comes out to $126 million.
| Candidate | Millions | |
|---|---|---|
| Hillary Rodham Clinton (D) | 26 | |
| Barack Obama (D) | 25 | |
| Mitt Romney (R) | 21 | |
| Rudy Giuliani (R) | 15 | |
| John Edwards (D) | 14 | |
| John McCain (R) | 13 | |
| Bill Richardson (D) | 6 | |
| Chris Dodd (D) | 4 | |
| Joe Biden (D) | 2 | |
| Total First Quarter | 126 |
By way of comparison, that's more than the $120 million that Al Gore and Joe Lieberman spent on the entire 2000 race, according to OpenSecrets.org.
In March, Senior Editor Dan Gilgoff previewed the first quarter quest for U.S. News and what it means for the '08 race.
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