By DPA,
Washington : US president-elect Barack Obama raised $745 million over the course of his successful White House run, shattering previous fundraising records and more than double that of his rival John McCain, according to final campaign filings released Friday.
The record intake included $104 million raised between Oct 16 and Nov 24, giving Obama a massive fundraising advantage in the US election’s waning weeks and helping propel him to victory on Nov 4.
The October-November fund-raising was only his second-best period, after more than $150 million were taken in donations in September, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission.
The huge campaign coffers allowed Obama to heavily outspend McCain on television commercials and build ground operations in all 50 states in the run-up to the elections.
Obama collected contributions from nearly four million donors over the course of his campaign, also a record. In total he received more money than all the 2004 presidential candidates combined.
Obama became the first ever presidential candidate to forego government financing for the general election, which officially begins in September after the parties’ nominating conventions, allowing him to raise as much money as he wanted in the final few months.
McCain by contrast raised under $350 million during the primaries and election. From September to November he was limited to the $84.1 million he accepted in federal funds.