Bush, Airing Ads, Spent Record $49.6 Mln in March [View All]

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http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=akL6Ncop31VE&refer=us

April 20 (Bloomberg) -- President George W. Bush spent a record $49.6 million in March, the most paid out in one month by any presidential campaign, as it spent at least $40 million on media advertisements.

Bush, 57, raised $26.3 million in March, less than the $38 million raised by Democratic rival Massachusetts Senator John Kerry that month, according to Kerry campaign and FEC filings. Bush had $86.6 million in cash at the end of March, down from $110 million at the end of February, the FEC figures show.

The Bush campaign began airing ads nationwide last month portraying the president as a strong leader and Kerry as weak on national security issues and inconsistent in his voting record. Kerry, 60, became the presumptive Democratic nominee after the March 2 primaries when his last main rival, North Carolina Senator John Edwards, dropped out.

Bush raised a record $185.7 million through the end of March after beginning fund-raising in May last year, the FEC figures show. His campaign had a goal of raising $170 million. The average contribution in March was $92, less than the $165 overall average, according to a Bush campaign press release.

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