GOP donations strong for key senate seats

WASHINGTON, July 18 (UPI) -- Republican hopefuls in three key U.S. Senate contests posted strong fundraising totals for the second quarter of this year, federal records show.

"Republican contributors are likely to be more and more concerned about the direction of the Democratic agenda," said Stuart Rothenberg, editor of the non-partisan Rothenberg Political Report. "I think there is a growing energy within the (GOP). But having said that, the gas tank was empty, so there's a long way to go here."

Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., running to succeed retiring Sen. Christopher Bond, R-Mo., raised $1.4 million from April through June and had $1.8 million in the bank as of June 30, The Washington Post reported Saturday.

In Florida, Gov. Charlie Crist raised $4.3 million in the second quarter and in Ohio, former Bush administration official Rob Portman raised $1.7 million during the past three months.

"We're in a far better position than we were five months ago," National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesman Brian Walsh said of election day 2010, still 16 months away.