McCain's Lackluster Fundraising Not a Concern to Governor

None by KCPW

(KCPW News) Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney out-fundraised presidential rival Senator John McCain two to one in the first quarter. Political pundits say that's a bad sign for McCain, but his biggest supporter in the Beehive State isn't worried yet. Governor Jon Huntsman Junior says next quarter's fundraising totals will be a better yardstick:

"Because everyone will have then started from the same starting block and will have run a race that is analogous," says Huntsman. "As opposed to some abiding by some laws and getting an earlier start than others . . . some are constrained by federal rules being in the senate, others have more open capabilities."

The McCain campaign says it fell short of its goals, raising only 12-million dollars in the first three months of this year, compared to Mitt Romney's 23-million. But Huntsman has seen evidence that McCain has more widespread support than his opponents:

"When you look at where John McCain's donor base was, he got about 60,000 contributions, which was double what anybody else got on the Republican side," says Huntsman. "So that's an important determinant of where the grassroots lay of the land is, I think."

Ironically, a lot of Huntsman family money is helping fill Romney's coffers. Jon Huntsman Senior backs Romney, but such family differences are not unusual says the Governor. He and his father backed different candidates in 2000 and he says so far they have managed to keep political differences from tainting their personal relationship.

Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom. Copyright 2008 KCPW