TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Obama Campaign Gets $52 Million In June

ADVERTISEMENT

The New York Times

Published: July 18, 2008

WASHINGTON - Sen. Barack Obama's campaign said Thursday that it collected $52 million in June, the second-best fundraising month of the year, through an aggressive mix of small and large contributions that produced more than twice the amount raised by Sen. John McCain.

After becoming the presumptive Democratic nominee for president last month, Obama also helped the Democratic National Committee sharply increase its fundraising to $22.4 million in June. The Obama campaign and the party have a combined $92.3 million in the bank, which is slightly less than Republicans and the McCain campaign, which began July with about $95 million.

David Plouffe, the campaign manager for Obama, announced the June fundraising tally on Thursday in an e-mail message to supporters. Yet the magnitude of the fundraising challenge - reaching a goal of $300 million - was underscored by his pitch for each of the donors to give $25 more.

"I know this isn't the first time we've asked you for money, and it won't be the last," Plouffe wrote. "We have developed a strategy - a very aggressive strategy - that will only work if our millions of supporters continue to contribute their time and their money."

Although the $52 million came close to reaching the record that Obama set in February by raising $55 million, the figure is on pace, or slightly below, projections that campaign aides have set out for party fundraisers. Democrats said they hope to raise about $300 million for the campaign, in addition to about $180 million for the DNC.

The Obama campaign is spending the money at a rapid pace, through television advertising and by opening scores of offices in battleground states.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT