Race in last lap,Romney funds more than Obama’s

Obama’s campaign on its own has dwarfed Romney’s in the money stakes in recent months,raising $136.2 million in September,according to a Reuters tally of latest reports. The Romney campaign alone raised much less: $76.1 million,according to filings with the Federal Election Commission.

But when taken together with the RNC,Romney had more to spend on advertising and get-out-the-vote efforts as the campaign entered its last lap with the two men running neck and neck in polls.

Romney continued to grow his small-donor base in September and raised nearly a third of his money from checks of less than $200,Saturday’s filings showed. The FEC filings do not account for what the campaign said was a big uptick in online donations after Romney’s strong performance in the first presidential debate on October 3.

Romney also has an advantage in support from Super PACs and other outside groups such as Republican strategist Karl Rove’s nonprofit Crossroads GPS,which funds anti-Obama advertisements. Republican-aligned groups spent $84.1 million on ads from September 10 through October 18,while pro-Democratic groups laid out less,$23.1 million,despite a strong fundraising month by pro-Obama Super PAC Priorities USA Action,according to Reuters analysis of spending disclosures to the FEC.