Projo Politics Blog

Tiny Rhode Island may be pretty much irrelevant in presidential politics, but once again, presidential aspirants are finding the state a hospitable place to raise campaign money.

Not surprisingly, New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is leading the pack in raising campaign money from Rhode Island, with $411,427 from state donors, according to federal campaign-finance records compiled by USA Today.

Next in line is Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Connecticut ($133,050), followed by former New York Republican Mayor Rudy Giuliani ($117,529); Sen. Barack Obama, D_Ill. ($114,901); former Massachusetts Republican Gov. Mitt Romney ($92,283); former Democratic North Carolina Sen. John Edwards ($37,132); GOP Sen. John McCain ($27,104); and Texas GOP Congressman Ron Paul ($14,398).

As is usually the case, donations from large states make up most of the campaign cash harvested by presidential candidates. Donations from New York, California, Texas and Florida accounted for about one-third of the $420 million raised since January by presidential candidates, according to the USA Today survey.

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