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Friday, June 18, 2004

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  Bush raised roughly $13 million in May, a monthly campaign finance report he filed Friday with the Federal Election Commission shows. Bush has been relying on mailed and online donations to raise money for his campaign since April, when he turned his attention to holding fund raisers for other Republicans.

Bush raised about $4 million more in the first week of June, bringing him to about $218 million total since he started raising re-election money in May 2003, donor information posted on his Web site shows.

Bush long ago surpassed the presidential record of $105 million he set in 2000, in part thanks to a doubling of the individual contribution limit to $2,000 under a new campaign finance law. Every dollar he raises now sets a record.

If contributions continue at their current pace through August, Bush is on track to reach $250 million by the time his party officially nominates him in early September. At that point, Bush will accept full government financing for his general-election campaign. He can use private contributions only for a legal compliance fund that covers attorney and accounting costs.

Bush spent about $152 million through May, more than half of it on television ads.

By the end of this month, he and Democratic rival John Kerry together will have spent more than $140 million since March on TV ads. Bush will have spent more than $80 million and Kerry more than $60 million.

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