Dean, Kerry, and Edwards get a leg up

[chimpymustgo]

3 break from pack in fund-raising race

By Glen Johnson, Globe Staff, 7/16/2003

WASHINGTON -- Fund-raising figures released yesterday showed former Vermont governor Howard Dean, Senator John Kerry, and Senator John Edwards separating themselves from the rest of the Democratic presidential contenders, and Representative Richard A. Gephardt falling $1 million short of his money goal for the last three months.

Kerry, Dean, and Edwards formed the top three among the field of nine candidates in cash on hand after the first six months of the year. Kerry had the largest bank balance at the end of last month, while Dean led in fund-raising during the second quarter.

''There wasn't much to tell from the first-quarter reports because not every candidate was actively campaigning yet, and you hadn't had enough time to see this shake out,'' said Anthony Corrado, a Colby College government professor and specialist in campaign finance. ''We're now starting to see this shake out, and the candidates are now starting to break into a clear separation of at least Kerry, Edwards, and Dean from the rest of the pack, and that will make it tougher for the rest of the candidates to raise further money.''

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For the second consecutive quarter, Kerry finished second among the candidates, raising $5.9 million. The senator from Massachusetts had $10.9 million cash on hand -- more than any of his rivals has, and more than Democrat Al Gore had in the bank at this point in the last presidential campaign.

-snip-

Gephardt, despite a national reputation as the four-term Democratic leader of the House of Representatives, reported raising $3.9 million -- short of a $5 million target his aides had said two weeks ago they expected to meet. The Missouri lawmaker closed the books on the first half of the year with $6.3 million in the bank, roughly $100,000 less than Dean.

-snip-

On Monday, Lieberman announced he was shaking up his campaign finance staff after a last-minute scramble for donations, as well as a dispute between his campaign manager and chief fund-raiser over, among other things, the prominence of the Internet in his fund-raising. The campaign argued the staff shuffle was not a sign of distress.

-snip-

http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/197/nation/

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Still early.

[RogueTrooper]

1. Corrected Link

http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/197/nation/Dean_Kerry_and_Edwards_get_a_leg_up+.shtml

[chimpymustgo]

2. Thanks, RogueTrooper!

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