GOP campaign pot brims

Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Republican National Committee raised a record $31.7 million in the first three months of the year, collecting three times as much money that can be spent directly for candidates as the Democrats.

The total comes before a May gala headlined by President Bush that the committee expects will raise at least as much as the $23.9 million the event took in last year.

"We’re going to spend it in races across the country where we feel we can be helpful," committee spokesman Kevin Sheridan said. "Right now we are in process of targeting races where we think we can have the biggest impact."

About $26 million — or more than $8 of every $10 — in Republican National Committee donations so far this year came in hard money. Such contributions are limited in size and the sources they can come from but can be spent in any way, including direct support of candidates.

Under a law Bush signed last week, hard money will be the only kind party committees can raise after the fall election.

The Democratic National Committee raised $26 million in the first quarter of the year, about $8 million of it hard money.

The rest was soft money, which can be given in any amount and unlike hard money may come from labor unions and corporations. It can only be used for party-building expenses such as the Demcratic headquarters and get-out-the-vote activities, however. It can’t be spent directly on federal candidates.

Charles Whitehead, former chairman of the Florida Democratic Party, said the Republicans’ fund-raising advantage should worry Democratic candidates in the fall election and the 2004 presidential race.

"I wish it wasn’t true, but today money is the mother’s milk of politics," Whitehead said. "You cannot be competitive if, whether it be hard or soft money, your competitor is outraising you by 25 percent."