Obama, Democrats raise $68 million for US elections

WASHINGTON, January 12, 2012 (AFP) – US President Barack Obama and his Democratic Party raised over $68 million in the last quarter of 2011 for this year’s White House and congressional elections, his campaign said Thursday.

“The good news is, thanks to thousands of people across this country, we had a pretty good quarter,” campaign manager Jim Messina said in a video posted on Obama’s campaign website, calling it “a pretty good start.”

Of that total, more than $42 million was for Obama’s reelection campaign and more than $24 million was for the Democratic National Committee, which helps to elect candidates for the Senate and House of Representatives.

Messina said the campaign now counts 1.3 million donors, including 200,000 who gave for the first time ever during the last three months of 2011.

He said 98 percent of donations were $250 or less, with an average donation of $55.

Obama faces a tough road to reelection in November 2012, with Republican candidates battering him over his handling of the economy.