Mitt collects $1.1 million from Utahns for quarter
Utah was second in contributions in April after the campaign filed its much-anticipated first-quarter report.
Romney raised just under $21 million in the second quarter, giving him $44 million in receipts so far for the 2008 White House race. An earlier estimate released by the campaign had Romney raising $20.5 million, but the final report had a more certain total of $20.9 million. He has $12 million cash on hand.
Candidates have until Sunday to file the second-quarter fund-raising reports with the Federal Election Commission, but the Romney campaign filed its report Friday.
In Utah, Salt Lake City donors gave the most money, with 339 donations totaling $253,448, according to a breakdown of the report. Provo followed with $82,102 and then Orem with $81,095.
Kelly Patterson, director of Brigham Young University's Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy, called Utah a "natural base of support" for Romney.
Patterson said the amount of money Romney has raised well before the first primary date is an indication of the "astronomical amounts" of money that will be raised and spent in this election.
At this stage, Romney is only raising money for the primaries. Federal law limits contributions to $2,300 for the primary and $2,300 for the general election.
Patterson said this is an important distinction. Romney can go back to people that have already maxed out their contribution for more money if he goes on to win the nomination and at this point "you can spend everything you raise."
While the pending campaign contribution filing deadline is drawing attention to who has how much in his or her war chest, Patterson said the issues are not getting lost in the shuffle.
"The candidates raising the money are striking some type of chord with the donors," Patterson said. "Individuals like candidates because of their stances on issues. The candidates are talking about the issues to the donors."
So far in the campaign overall, Utah donors have given just under $4 million to Romney, who ran the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and, like most Utahns, is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Romney family also owns a home in Deer Valley. Romney held three fund-raising events in Utah in late June.
Meanwhile, Utah ranks 44th in donations to former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who is running against Romney for the Republican nomination for president. Utahns gave $7,900 to Giuliani, of which $4,600 came from Farmington.
Giuliani raised $17.6 million in the second quarter and has $18,326,220 cash on hand.
Breakdowns of how much money the other presidential candidates collected and spent was not available Friday.
E-mail: suzanne@desnews.com
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