WASHINGTON (AP) — Mitt Romney leads all Republicans in the contest for campaign cash, outpacing his closest rival Tim Pawlenty, by a 9-to-1 margin in banked cash.
That highlights Romney’s front-runner status among contenders hoping to go up against President Barack Obama in 2012.
While Romney’s $12.6 million in the bank far outdistanced a spread-out GOP field, dollars don’t always translate to votes. The chasm between Romney and his rivals suggested many Republican donors are waiting on the sidelines, watching the topsy-turvy campaign foment and the candidates finally start to engage one another.
Romney added more than $18 million to his account during the April-to-June fundraising period, aides said ahead of his official filing. Yet still came up short for his campaign’s internal $50 million goal for the first half of this year.
