McCain Trails Political Rivals in Raising Cash

John McCain, at one time Republican front-runner in the presidential race, suffered a setback yesterday when his campaign team reported he had raised significantly less than his rival, Mitt Romney. With Republican and Democratic campaign teams announcing funding built up in the first three months of the year, Mr McCain had $12.5m, compared with Mr Romney's $21m.

In the absence of any other firm figures, ability to raise funds is viewed in the US as an important political barometer. Mr McCain's team admitted it had "hoped to do better". Another Republican candidate, Rudy Giuliani, the former New York mayor, also beat Mr McCain, with $15m.

The Republican funding figures came a day after Hillary Clinton, the Democratic front-runner, announced that she had raised $26m. Her nearest rival, Barack Obama, has still to disclose his figures.

Mr Romney, a former governor of Massachusetts and multi-millionaire businessman, is a Mormon, which some Republicans argued would count against him with the Christian right.

Mr McCain has suffered partly from his strong support for the war in Iraq, in particular for President George Bush's strategy of sending in extra US troops.