Romney Raises $1.9M During First Quarter

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who is mulling a run for the Republican presidential nomination, raised nearly $1.9 million during the first quarter of the year, USA Today reported Friday.

Romney’s Free and Strong America PAC donated more than $400,000 to Republican candidates and conservative causes, according to information released by the PAC.

Another potential Republican presidential candidate U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas raised about $1 million during the first three months of the year for his Liberty PAC, Jesse Benton, a spokesman said.

Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty is the only major candidate to create a presidential exploratory committee so far. There was no word late Thursday on how much he or other potential candidates had raised in the first quarter.

Most major potential candidates operate PACs so that they can hire staff and dole out funds to other candidates and causes in important early primary states.