The gap in fundraising is widening, but it’s not surprising. In 2004, Democratic challenger John F. Kerry outraised President George W. Bush every month after picking up the Democratic nod.
Romney, as Kerry did before him, has been able to use frustration with the incumbent to his advantage. It’s often easier to create the fervent enthusiasm needed to get campaign donors to part with their money when running against a sitting president rather than pitching them on another four years.
All told, Bush, the Republican National Committee and the two biggest independent groups supporting him spent $786 million in the 2004 election cycle. That compares with $845 million for the Democrats, a spending advantage of about $60 million.
Money gap may not matter so much in November
