GOP Winning Race for Funds, Topping Democrats by 3 to 1

Republicans are winning the race for campaign dollars, raising more than three times the amount gathered by Democrats, the Federal Election Commission reported Saturday.

The commission said three major groups that raise money for the Republican Party nationally took in $102 million in contributions limited by federal law in the 15 months ending March 31. It said they amassed $26 million in “soft money” that is not subject to federal law.

The report said the three major Democratic counterpart groups raised $30 million in contributions limited by federal law and $10 million in so-called soft money during that period.

The report focused only on six committees that raise funds for the national parties. It did not reflect contributions made directly to congressional candidates.

President Bush a week ago vetoed Democratic-sponsored legislation to limit campaign spending and do away with soft money, which critics call a loophole in federal law.

Under the law, individual contributors may give a maximum of $1,000 to each House and Senate candidate for each election. But that limit does not apply to soft money given to national committees operated by the Republicans and the Democrats for voter registration drives and other such “party building” activities.

Federal law bars corporations from giving money directly to House and Senate campaigns but does not stop them from making soft money contributions to the two parties.

The FEC report said the three GOP groups spent $88 million from funds subject to federal restrictions during the 15-month period.

It said the three major Democratic fund-raising committees spent $29 million in such funds.

That left the Republicans with cash reserves of $13 million and the Democrats with cash reserves of $3 million, according to the report. The numbers do not add up because of funds on hand at the beginning of the period.

The report said Republicans spent $19 million from their soft money accounts and the Democrats $9 million.