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UP FRONTTuesday 2 February 2016
Continued from Front
Cruz has spent the clos-
ing days of the Iowa cam-
paign focused intensely
on Rubio, trying to ensure
the Florida senator doesn’t
inch into second place.
Rubio is viewed by many
Republicans as a more
mainstream alternative to
Trump and Cruz, though
he’ll need to stay com-
petitive in Iowa in order to
maintain his viability.
In the state’s Democratic
race, polls showed Clin-
ton and Sanders in a tight
race, reviving memories
of the former secretary
of state’s disappointing
showing eight years ago
when Obama won the
caucuses and, ultimately,
the Democratic nomina-
tion and presidency.
Clinton has campaigned
as a progressive who could
get things done in a Wash-
ington split by an intense
partisan divide. But her
familiar name and long
resume aren’t necessarily
advantages in an election
year dominated by anti-
establishment candidates.
Amid Republican rivals to Trump and Cruz,Rubio has most cash
JULIE BYKOWICZ
CHAD DAY
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Mar-
co Rubio, Jeb Bush, John
Kasich and Chris Christie,
the four Republican can-
didates in a showdown for
their party’s traditional sup- disposal.
porters, closed last year
with roughly as much mon-
ey in the bank combined
as Ted Cruz, the conserva-
tive insurgent they hope to
topple.
And then there’s Donald
Trump, a celebrity business-
man who has just begun to
flex his billion-dollar bank
account, lending his cam-
paign $10.8 million from his
personal wealth late last
year.
The Republican candidates
seeking to challenge Trump
and Cruz at the top of the
field were in varying de-
grees of financial distress at
the end of 2015, fundraising
reports filed Sunday night
show, with Rubio in the best
position to move forward.
As the calendar flipped to
2016, the foursome had a
combined $21.6 million left
for them in the campaign
and in the presidency.”
Sanders told volunteers
and supporters: “We will
struggle tonight if the vot-
er turnout is low. That’s a
fact.’”
A victory by Sanders in
Iowa would give him mo-
mentum headed into the
Feb. 9 New Hampshire pri-
mary. Sanders is expected
to do well in New Hamp-
shire, which is next to his
home state of Vermont.
But his long-term prospects
remain questionable. Clin-
ton has a lead in national
polls and is well-placed to
win other states over the
next month, especially
those which unlike Iowa
have large numbers of
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., watches caucus returns in his hotel black and Latino voters.
room, on Monday, Feb. 1, 2016, in Des Moines, Iowa.
Some of the Republican
Associated Press candidates have been
Clinton has also been on nization as well as popular- ing. focusing more on New
the defensive over her use ity. With votes being cast “We knocked on 125,000 Hampshire than Iowa, in-
of a personal email ac- in about 2,000 meetings doors this past weekend,” cluding Bush, Ohio Gov.
count for official business across the state, candi- Clinton told NBC’s “Today” John Kasich and New
as secretary of state, raising dates not only had to win show. “Although it’s a tight Jersey Gov Chris Christie.
questions about whether over voters, but make sure race, a lot of the people While none is expected to
she mishandled govern- their supporters turned up who are committed to do well in Iowa, they are all
ment secrets and her over- — a much more difficult caucusing for me will be hoping for strong showings
all trustworthiness. task than generating turn- there and standing up for in New Hampshire to keep
Iowa is a contest of orga- out for all-day primary vot- me and I will do the same their campaigns alive.q

Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., lier in the year. In total, he year with about $2.5 million
waits to speak at a caucus site, Monday, Feb. 1, 2016 in Clive, collected $39.5 million in in cash, and Christie with
Iowa. 2015. just over $1 million.
That’s more than Bush’s an- Kasich’s allies were eager
Associated Press nual total. And the former to portray his financial pros-
Florida governor’s fundrais- pects as improving. Out-
in the bank, while Cruz had demands travel among ing fortunes appear to be side groups supporting his
almost $18.7 million at his some two dozen states and moving in the opposite di- bid said they’ve landed
advertising in some of the rection as Rubio’s. $4 million in checks from
With voting beginning Mon- country’s priciest media He raised just $7.1 million six donors in the past few
day in the state of Iowa, markets before March 15. between Oct. 1 and Dec. weeks, a period of time not
and continuing next week Of the four, Rubio, a Florida 31, about half what his haul covered by the reports filed
in New Hampshire, Rubio, senator, led the money had been in the preced- Sunday.
Bush, Kasich and Christie chase in the final three ing fundraising quarter. He Cruz, by contrast, has
were running low on time — months of the year, col- closed the year with about proved an adept fundrais-
as well as money — in their lecting $14.2 million and $7.6 million in the bank. He er. For the year, he raised
efforts to rise. Should one ending with $10.4 million in had detected a cash crisis about $47 million. His most
or more of them continue the bank. What’s more, he in the fall and retrenched recent report showed 42
on after New Hampshire, was on the upswing, hav- his national plan to focus percent of that came from
they’ll face a cost-inten- ing more than doubled his almost exclusively on New contributors giving $200 or
sive primary calendar that fundraising pace from ear- Hampshire. less, people who can con-
Yet in that state, where vot- tinue to replenish his trea-
ers weigh in Feb. 9, there sury. Donors are limited to
are two others who have $2,700 apiece for the pri-
gone all-in: Kasich, the Ohio mary contest. On the op-
governor, and Christie, the posite end of giving, the
New Jersey governor. Those outside groups known as
candidates have struggled super political action com-
to gain traction among mittees also are displaying
donors, their fundraising re- the effects of a crowded
ports show. Republican primary. Super
Kasich and Christie each PACs can accept unlimited
raised about $3 million in donations but cannot take
between Oct. 1 and Dec. directions from the candi-
31. Kasich closed out the dates they’re helping.q