Republican Committee Raises Record $31 Million

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Republican National Committee (news - web sites) brought in a record $31.7 million in the year's first quarter while its Democratic equivalent raised $26 million, but Democrats lagged badly in regulated "hard-money" donations that can be spent directly on campaigns.

That law, signed by President Bush (news - web sites) last week, bans unregulated "soft-money" donations to national political parties, which are meant specifically for party-building activities but had been routinely funneled to individual campaigns for advertising.

The RNC said the $31.7 million raised in the first three months of the year far exceeded its previous record first-quarter total, $26.6 million in 1996. Those figures include 116,000 first-time givers and donations from 579,000 individuals.

With Bush crisscrossing the United States to raise funds for Republican committees and candidates, RNC spokesman Kevin Sheridan said the figures were "reflective of the president's good standing. People across America are inspired to support the president in any way they can."

The DNC said its $26 million total included a record $8 million raised through a beefed up direct mail fund-raising effort that attracted donations from 205,514 individuals and 34,636 first-time donors.

With many Democrats fearing the changes in fund-raising rules will benefit Republicans and their broader base of donors, Democratic Chairman Terry McAuliffe said in a letter to party leaders that the party's technology gap was closing and Democrats now would be able to compete for small donors.

"We are now able to reach out to grass roots activists and small dollar donors like never before," he said, adding the party's direct mail donor base would grow from 400,000 a year ago to 1 million this year, while the party's e-mail lists have grown from 70,000 to one million.

"The Democratic Party will now be able to communicate with millions of voters on targeted issues they care about," he said.

The $17 million in soft-money donations to the DNC include a recent $7 million check from a Hollywood executive to help pay for a new party headquarters.

The DNC finished the quarter with $23 million in cash on hand and about $9 million in debts. The RNC has $38.8 million on hand and no outstanding debts.

The national parties and candidates must file their first quarter fund-raising reports with the Federal Election Commission (news - web sites) by April 15, but the two national committees made their totals public on Thursday.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, or DCCC, also reported its figures, saying it set a first quarter fund-raising record of nearly $12 million, with $16.5 million cash on hand and no debt.

"The DCCC is on a record-setting pace because Democrats are working to promote opportunity and security for America's working families," said Rep. Nita Lowey of New York, chairwoman of the committee.

The Republican House campaign committee, as well as the Democratic and Republican Senate campaign committees, did not report their figures. A spokesman for the Republican House committee promised to better the Democratic figures once the amounts are announced.

"It's pretty clear that once again Republicans will maintain their fund-raising advantage," spokesman Carl Forti said, saying Democrats will be "strapped" for hard money in the fall.

So soft money has been banned, but hard money donation limits were doubled to $2,000. While there are many things wrong with the campaign finance bill, at least it may give some Democrats major headaches. Of course, there are massive constitutional issues with the bill, but I'm still surprised that Democrats supported it so strongly.

But then again, I for the life of me cannot figure out why people who make between $100,000 and $200,000 and are not government contractors vote for Democrats. Democrats surely will support higher taxes, costing these people thousands. Yet these same people would not likely switch jobs and begin earning thousands less. so I just cannot figure people out.

I can't see why those making under $25,000 vote for Democrats. All RATS do is take money from them to give to people who make more than they do.

Heck, I can't see why anyone in the private sector votes for Democrats.

Looks like Dubyah snookered the RATS. Once the free speech bans are overturned, looks like we'll be in the driver's seat. GO BUSH GO!

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