Although the official results will not be released until mid-October, the third quarter fundraising deadline for all the 2012 GOP candidates ends tonight at midnight. The results, which will tally up nearly three months of national fundraising, are especially important for Mitt Romney and Rick Perry who are both seeking to gain momentum heading into the final months of the 2011 primary season.
According to Bloomberg, a representative close to Mitt Romney said the former Massachusetts governor will take in between $13 and $14 million. Although these numbers are expected to change, considering the Romney campaign is soliciting support in New York today from influential donors, his figures will likely fall short of the $18.4 million he raised in the previous quarter.
An even more interesting question, however, is how much money Rick Perry will bring in. A recently released Rasmussen Reports poll, conducted on September 19, suggests that Mitt Romney has closed the political support gap considerably, and is now only trailing the nominal frontrunner by four percentage points. Nonetheless, the Perry camp has remained mum on the subject. While the campaign unofficially stated that they hope to exceed $10 million -- which seems more than plausible -- whether or not the Texas governor can raise more money than Mitt Romney is unclear.
Additionally, spokesman Gary Howard for the Ron Paul Campaign told the Washington Wire that the Texas congressman will raise around $5 million, thus collecting more than the $4.5 million he received last quarter. While experts speculate that he will probably not win the Republican nomination – he continues to poll around 10% nationally. Hence, his increased support and enthusiastic fan base has given his campaign legitimacy and a powerful voice leading up to the Iowa Caucus in January.
Despite their best efforts, however, these three Republican contenders are unlikely to take in more money than Barack Obama. The President, who received $86 million last quarter, is projected to take in $55 million this quarter according to the Democratic Party and his reelection campaign. Yet remarkably, Bloomberg reports the President has lost nearly 100 Wall Street donors since 2008. Wealthy investors, it seems, are disenchanted with his monetary policy and are looking at new candidates in the months ahead.
All of this, of course, is unofficial and subject to change. But it’s safe to say, whatever the outcome, these results will have a major impact on who wins the Republican nomination for President in 2012.