WASHINGTON -- President Obama raised $29.1 million for his 2012 re-election campaign and the Democratic Party in January, a sign that his fundraising pace is picking up.
Obama himself made the announcement on his Twitter account: "Our FEC report today: In January 2012, #Obama2012 raised a combined total of $29.1 million between committees."
In a second tweet, the president said: "Of January donations to #Obama2012, 98% were $250 or less. Thanks to everyone who pitched in."
Obama may well raise more than $30 million in February. Today, he is coming off a West Coast swing featuring eight fundraisers.
Kirsten Kukowski, a spokeswoman for the Republican Party, said it appears Obama is more interested in raising money than governing.
"Averaging a fundraiser every two days, it's clear President Obama's priority is saving his own job instead of working to create jobs for struggling Americans," Kukowski said. "The president is good at two things: raising money to save his political career and breaking promises like the one to keep unemployment below eight percent with the $825 billion stimulus."
The Associated Press notes that Obama's January fundraising puts him ahead of his pace for 2011:
- The month's haul raises Obama's total combined fundraising for this election cycle to about $250 million. In the last three months of 2011, he averaged about $23 million a month.
- That fundraising concluded before the campaign's announcement this month that, in a reversal, Obama would embrace the big big-money fundraising groups he once criticized and let them help in his re-election.
- The campaign did not immediately provide a breakdown of the fundraising but said 98 percent of the January donations were $250 or less.
Presidential candidates must submit January fundraising reports to the Federal Election Commission on Friday. The Obama campaign's full report is expected later in the day.