Republican raises $15m in March, best month yet

WASHINGTON - John McCain raised more than $15 million in March for his presidential campaign, his most lucrative month yet, but still far short of the campaign cash gathered by Democratic rivals Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

The amount was confirmed by two campaign officials speaking on condition of anonymity because the numbers have not been made public.

Though no final decision has been made, one official said McCain intends to accept public financing in the general election, a sum of about $84 million. McCain donors are being asked to supplement that public financing with donations to the Republican National Committee, with a goal of raising $120 million through a joint Victory Committee.

Obama's campaign has said he raised $40 million in March, bringing his total so far in the campaign to about $234 million. Clinton has said she raised $20 million last month for a total of more than $175 million. McCain has raised about $75 million since he began running last year.

Clinton has raised at least $22 million for the general election and is expected to raise her own money if she is the Democratic nominee. Obama, who once said he would take public money if his Republican rival did as well, has made no commitment and is under pressure to use his formidable fund-raising in the general election as well.

No presidential candidate has rejected public financing in the general election since the post-Watergate campaign finance overhaul of the 1970s. The money is financed by taxpayers who check off a $3 allocation to the presidential fund in their tax returns.

Details of the candidates' March fund-raising will not be known until they file their reports with the Federal Election Commission April 20.