GOP Fundraising Lags Behind Obama

POLITICO reports:

The Republican presidential fundraising reports are still coming in, but a clear winner has already emerged: President Barack Obama.

Whoever claims the GOP nomination is going to find it close to impossible to keep pace with the president’s fundraising juggernaut.

That was the lesson of the first real quarter of the money chase, when it was revealed Wednesday that Republican front-runner Mitt Romney — the GOP’s pale version of a cash-collecting machine — raised just over $18 million. (See: Mitt Romney's warning signs)

Romney’s haul was less than what he took in as a first-time candidate out of the gates four years ago. Behind the former Massachusetts governor, the numbers tailed off dramatically. Neither Tim Pawlenty nor Jon Huntsman even hit $5 million. Meanwhile, the Republican National Committee is mired in $18.5 million of debt.  (See: Tim Pawlenty reportedly raised $4.2 million in second quarter)

As for Obama, his reelection campaign and a joint fund set up with the Democratic National Committee have ostensibly set a $60 million goal for the quarter — a sum Democratic sources say they’re sure to exceed when forms are filed with the Federal Election Commission on July 15.