RNC Outpaces DNC 5:1 in Campaign Funds

The Republican National Committee has five times as much cash as its Democratic counterpart after raising more than $100 million in 2005 � only the second time the RNC has exceeded that figure in a non-election year.

The RNC raised $105 million last year and had $34 million in the bank at the beginning of 2006, while the DNC raised $56 million in its first year under Howard Dean, and had only $6 million in cash on hand, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.

But Democratic Party election committees have narrowed the gap with the GOP. They raised $143 million last year, up from $128 million four years ago, while GOP committees raised $206 million, down from $234 million in 2001.