Barack Obama raised $21.9 million in May, his campaign reported on Friday, a day after the Democratic candidate said he would reject public financing for his presidential bid. The Illinois senator's campaign said it had $43.1 million in the bank at the end of the month, with debts of about $304,000.
The disclosure followed Obama's reversal on the question of whether he would take public financing, which drew sharp criticism from his Republican opponent, John McCain. McCain's campaign said on Friday he raised almost as much in May - $21.5 million. He spent $11.6 million and ended the month owing $1.27 million, with $31.5 million in the bank, up $10 million from the end of April. During the primary season, his campaign raised $96 million.
New York Senator Hillary Clinton, who suspended her campaign for the Democratic nomination and endorsed Obama two weeks ago, raised about $16.3 million and spent $19.2 million in May, according to a report filed with the Federal Election Commission. Her campaign owed about $22.5 million at the end of the month. Obama's fundraising figure for May is less than the $30.7 million he raised in April. At the end of that month, he had $46.6 million in the bank, with debts of $2 million.