The Institute for Southern Studies reports:
The presidential money race is well under way, and moving faster than ever. According to campaign finance data released July 15, White House hopefuls are smashing all fundraising records, collecting over $265 million in contributions in the first six months of 2007 alone. But what role is the South – one of the country’s fastest-growing regions, and home to 31% of the Electoral College votes needed to win the presidency – playing in the 2008 fundraising derby?
A new analysis of campaign records by the Institute finds that the five top fundraising campaigns in each party have collected over $45 million from 13 Southern states.
It’s a staggering sum – but only 16% of the national total, revealing the South’s campaign contributions have yet to catch up with the region’s electoral clout.