Bad News for the Battleground States ...

Kerry Raises Record $100M in Three Months
Jun 16, 10:57 AM (ET)
By SHARON THEIMER

WASHINGTON (AP) - John Kerry raised a Democratic record $100 million from March through May, lifting his presidential campaign to more than $140 million so far.

Kerry raised roughly $25 million last month alone, figures provided Wednesday by his campaign show.

The Massachusetts senator has already surpassed his financial goal of about $106 million for the primary season. He has about six weeks of fund raising left before he accepts his party's nomination in Boston and receives full government financing for the general-election phase of his campaign.

President Bush has raised at least $216 million since he began his re-election effort in May 2003. That includes at least $13 million raised in May through online and mailed contributions.

Bush stopped holding fund-raisers for himself in April, turning his attention to helping the Republican Party and fellow GOP candidates raise millions for the fall election.

Kerry has been holding fund-raisers for himself and the Democratic National Committee and has also taken in millions over the Internet and through direct-mail solicitations. Kerry's total includes roughly $6 million he borrowed before his primary victories by mortgaging his Boston home.

Kerry will reach his fund-raising cutoff about a month before Bush, who can continue raising primary money until his party's convention in late August.

Mindful that fund-raising time is running out, Kerry is soliciting donations to a legal compliance fund he can use during the general election campaign to cover legal and accounting costs, reserving his roughly $75 million in government financing for ads and other campaign costs from August until November.

The legal fund, permitted under the campaign finance law, "will allow the campaign to put more of its resources into getting John's message to the American people," Kerry national finance chairman Louis Susman wrote in a mailing to prospective donors this month. "Given the size of the Republican war chest, every dollar counts."

The Bush campaign also has a legal compliance fund for the general election.

Bush and Kerry will detail their finances, including spending and money in the bank, in reports to the Federal Election Commission due at midnight Sunday.