US candidates follow money trail to London

[CGowen]

US candidates follow money trail to London


· Bill Clinton and Michelle Obama seek funds in UK
· Expatriates are big source of campaign dollars

Suzanne Goldenberg in Washington
Saturday September 22, 2007
The Guardian

Two spouses of leading Democratic presidential candidates - Bill Clinton and Michelle Obama - are to visit London next month to try to tap into an increasing source of campaign funds from Americans living abroad.

With the 2008 presidential elections emerging as the most expensive in US history, Democratic and Republican campaigns are looking across the Atlantic for campaign funds.

In the first six months of this year, US expatriates donated $471,000 (£235,000) to presidential candidates, a report by the Centre for Responsive Politics said, nearly as much as was donated in the entire 2000 election season. Most of the money was raised in London, which accounted for $270,000 of the total.

The biggest beneficiary has been Barack Obama, who raised $194,000 outside the US in the first six months of 2007. Rudy Giuliani, the Republican frontrunner, took in $119,000 in the same period. Hillary Clinton's haul was $51,000.

The focus on London sharpened this week with Mr Giuliani's visit. Next month Bill Clinton and Michelle Obama are to headline fundraising events. Tickets to the Clinton event will sell for more than $1,000. The Democratic candidate Dennis Kucinich, who is married to a Londoner, also made a recent visit.

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/uselections08/story/0,,2174508,00.html