Democrats Strike It Rich

With a large assist from President Clinton, the Democratic National Committee raised more money from January through March than its Republican counterpart.

DNC officials on Thursday reported raising $26 million in the first three months of the year while the Republican National Committee said it had raised $24 million in the same period.

The Democrats also reported having more than $21 million on hand at the beginning of April - four times the amount it had at this time four years ago. The DNC had $3 million in debt, meaning it had $18 million to spend. The RNC, which reported no debt, also had $18 million.

Ed Rendell, general chairman of the DNC, credited much of his party's fund-raising surge to Mr. Clinton, who he said helped raise about $13 million in the first three months of the year.

"I attribute it to just sterling work by the president, who was indefatigable in going out there and helping us," Rendell said Thursday.

RNC Chairman Jim Nicholson boasted of the Republicans' 55,000 new donors during the period.

"There's never been such excitement in the Republican ranks," he said.

Since Jan. 1, 1999, the RNC has raised more than $82 million and Democrats have brought in about $66 million. Both parties are expected to spend millions on advertising in support of their expected presidential nominees, Texas Gov. George W. Bush and Vice President Al Gore.

Rendell said the party is preparing to run ads between the primaries and the August nominating conventions, but only if the Republicans go first. Gore has asked the Democratic Party to hold off on such advertising until the GOP begins their own.

With Bush headlining the annual gala on April 26, the GOP expects to bring in a record-shattering $15 million in one night. Mr. Clinton, meanwhile, continues to raise money for his party; two events Sunday in Las Vegas brought in $525,000 and a Washington dinner on Monday raised another $800,000.

Both Mr. Clinton and Gore are scheduled to appear at an April 15 California fund-raiser co-hosted by Hollywood moguls David Geffen and Steven Spielberg, and an April 24 event in New York. The two affairs are expected to bring in up to $4 million.

The president also has been on the road for other party committees. On Sunday, he raised $1.1 million for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee at a Palo Alto, Calif., event featuring two former members of the Grateful Dead, Bob Weir and Mickey Hart.

The DCCC reported Thursday that it had raised $45.4 million between Jan. 1, 1999, and March 31, including $12.3 million in the first three months of the year.

It had $28.6 million on hand - nine times more than the $3.1 million it had four years ago.

The National Republican Congressional Committee raised a record $52 million last year. Officials said fund-raising figures for the first three months of the year would be released April 15.