Ron Paul said today his presidential campaign raised nearly $20 million in the last three months of 2007 from 130,000 donors.
His haul is far above the campaign's $12 million goal for the fourth quarter, Oct. 1-Dec. 31. And while his Republican rivals have not disclosed their fund-raising totals, Paul's total is nearly double the most any of them raised in the third quarter -- about $10.5 million for Rudy Giuliani and $10 million for Mitt Romney. Paul brought in nearly $5.3 million that quarter.
Paul's campaign said that more than 107,000 donors were new and the average donation was about $90. More than half of the total came from two 24-hour online fund-raising events organized by supporters -- one on Nov. 5, and the second centered in Boston on Dec. 16.
"Only Dr. Paul has the ability to inspire Americans to contribute and take action that is necessary if Republicans want to defeat the Democrats in November," campaign manager Kent Snyder said in a statement.
Paul's fund-raising success, however, has not translated into the polls. And his low standing is freezing him out of a Fox News debate Sunday in New Hampshire, though he and his supporters are protesting that decision.
