Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney and presumed No. 2 Rick Perry enjoy a huge cash advantage over their opponents. And that’s going to make it very difficult for the others to compete in a compressed primary schedule,
The Hill reports.
Various candidates have experienced temporary boosts in the polls, and Herman Cain is enjoying a wave of popularity now. But so far no one outside of former Massachusetts Gov. Romney and Texas Gov. Perry has been able to translate his/her standing into hefty donations.
As of now, only Perry and Romney have raised enough money to wage a vigorous fight through all the early primaries. Romney has garnered $32 million so far this year, while Perry has drawn $17 million after entering the race about two months ago.
The candidates are soon going to have to spend major money on TV ads, travel, and local campaign costs.
“The nominee’s going to have to have enough money to run a full-blown campaign in the first five states. He or she better have that in the bank by Christmas, or they’re going to be in trouble,” Scott Reed, a veteran GOP strategist, told The Hill.
Florida’s decision to hold its primary Jan. 31 will necessitate some heavy early spending in that important state. A week of TV ads there can cost up to $1 million.
“There will be a real threshold, because Florida is so much more expensive,” Matt Mackowiak, a Republican strategist, told The Hill.
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