In race for funds, lead grows for Dean
With the fund-raising of two major rivals tailing off sharply, Howard Dean has opened a commanding financial lead for the runup to the early caucuses and primaries in the Democratic presidential race.
The former Vermont governor started October with more than $12 million in the bank, his campaign manager said, despite spending well over half of the record-breaking $14.8 million he raised in the three months ending Sept. 30.
Meanwhile, Senators John F. Kerry of Massachusetts and John Edwards of North Carolina were expected to report sharp dropoffs in receipts, with both spending much more than they took in during the quarter. The campaigns of all presidential contenders were required to file financial reports by midnight yesterday.
Wesley K. Clark, however, has quickly moved into the top financial tier of candidates. The retired general's campaign said it was reporting raising $3.5 million, an average of $250,000 a day from a total of 20,000 donors, since he entered the race last month. Clark had nearly $3.4 million on hand as of Sept. 30.
The Democrats' efforts were overshadowed by President George W. Bush's $49.5 million harvest from 262,000 contributors, boosting the Republican to $83.9 million collected this year and leaving more than $70 million in his campaign chest.
Dean apparently spent about $9 million in the three months ending Sept. 30, though his campaign manager, Joe Trippi, told reporters yesterday afternoon that the campaign's report was still being finalized.
That would raise Dean's intake to about $25.3 million for the year. He started last quarter with $6.4 million in the bank.
Kerry's campaign still had not finalized figures early last night, but spokeswoman Kelley Benander said Kerry would report "approximately $4 million" in contributions, about $7 million in disbursements, and roughly $7.8 million still on hand.
In the days before the Sept. 30 cutoff, the Kerry campaign had estimated it would take in $4.5 million to $5 million. Kerry has now raised more than $20 million but will drop into second place in terms of the cash he has on hand.
Edwards, like Kerry, is reporting a steep decline in receipts for the second straight quarter, down to $2.6 million, spokeswoman Jennifer Palmieri said. His expenditure and cash-on-hand totals were not finalized until late last night. Edwards led all fund-raisers in the first quarter with $7.4 million and raised another $4.5 million from April through June.
Representative Richard A. Gephardt of Missouri was to report $3.8 million in contributions, about the same as last quarter, spokesman Erik Smith said. He spent $4.2 million and had $5.9 million on hand, Smith said. Gephardt has raised about $13.6 million to date.
Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut collected $3.6 million, spent $3.5 million, and had more than $4 million in the bank, spokesman Jano Cabrera said. Lieberman has raised about $11.7 million this year.
Representative Dennis J. Kucinich of Ohio increased his fund-raising, taking in $1.65 million, according to campaign officials. He spent about $1.9 million and ended the quarter with about $800,000 on hand, an aide said. Kucinich has taken in about $3.4 million this year.
Kevin Lampe of Carol Moseley Braun's campaign said the former Illinois senator would report $124,411 raised for the quarter, nearly that much spent, and $29,278 on hand. Braun has raised about $343,000 this year.
A spokesman for the Rev. Al Sharpton said the campaign would not comment in advance of filing its report. Sharpton had raised $137,000 through June and had $12,000 in the bank when the latest reporting period began. 