(For 2012 campaign news, see ELECT.)
Jan. 31 (Bloomberg) -- President Barack Obama entered his re-election year with more money to spend than he had four years ago when he defeated Hillary Clinton to win the Democratic nomination.
Obama reported a bank account balance of $81.8 million as of Dec. 31 as he took in $128 million last year for his re- election campaign, including $40 million from October to December.
The figures include transfers from a joint fundraising effort with the Democratic National Committee. Four years ago, he had raised $104 million through Dec. 31 and had $18.6 million in the bank.
Obama has maintained a strong base of small donors; $58.5 million, or 46 percent, came in through contributions of $200 or less. He had 1.3 million donors last year, the campaign said.
Obama also reported that the number of fundraisers bringing in at least $50,000 increased to 445, from 351 at the end of September. He named 61 bundlers, supporters who tap their own networks to help generate donations to the campaign, who raised more than $500,000, up from 41 in September. Obama is the only presidential candidate to publicly identify backers who are bundling donations.
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