Obama leads McCain in cash, but RNC flush

WASHINGTON, June 18 (UPI) -- Republican leaders say they expect to be outspent in the U.S. presidential campaign but are confident they will have enough cash to get their message out.

The Arizona Republic said Wednesday Federal Elections Commission figures show Barack Obama's campaign holding $23 million more than John McCain's, although GOP leaders say that doesn't mean it will translate into more votes.

"We will be outspent by the Democrats when you add up all the different resources that they're going to have this fall," said Republican National Committee Chairman Robert Duncan. "The issue is going to be: Will we have enough money to get our message out? The answer is going to be yes."

The Republic said the GOP has been encouraged by the fact that while Obama is flush, the Democratic National Committee's war chest had less than $5 million at the end of April while the RNC had accumulated $37 million.

National committees are important in an election, the Republic said, because campaign finance laws limit individual donations to a candidate to $2,300 compared to $28,500 for a political party.