Dems Out-Raise GOP in May, But Continue to Lag for Year

ABC News’ Rick Klein reports:

The Democratic National Committee raised $8.2 million last month — some $2.5 million more than the Republican National Committee brought in — marking the Democrats' best fundraising month so far in 2009.Democratic fundraising continues to lag behind Republican figures this year. The RNC is reporting having nearly twice as much cash on hand as the DNC, as of the end of last month.Still, May's haul by the DNC seems likely to quiet — at least to some extent — questions about "donor fatigue" in Democratic circles, and of the party's fundraising muscle under the leadership of its part-time chairman, Gov. Tim Kaine, D-Va. Those questions were renewed this week when a Democratic Party fundraiser in Washington featuring President Obama raised only $3 million; a major Republican Party event last week raised more than four times that sum.Federal Election Commission data filed today show May receipts of $8.2 million for the DNC, and cash-on-hand of $12.1 million. The party is also carrying $5.6 million in debts.The Republican National Committee had not filed its May report with the FEC as of Friday morning. But a press release from the GOP claimed a $5.7 million fundraising month of May and a total of $21.5 million in cash on hand, with no debt. "I am pleased that the Republican National Committee continues to show solid fundraising numbers, and we are grateful to the countless Americans who have contributed to our party," RNC Chairman Michael Steele said in a statement.