First off, we’ll note that Paul is punching above his poll numbers, fundraising wise. According to the RealClearPolitics rolling average of major polls, Paul right now is the choice of 8.1 percent of GOP voters, putting him in fifth place in the race for the nomination.
But in what pundits like to call the “money primary,” Paul is third. He’s raised $12.6 million this election cycle, to Mitt Romney’s $32 million and Rick Perry’s $17 million.
And according to an analysis by the campaign finance watchdog group Center for Responsive Politics, the organization whose members have contributed the most to Paul’s coffers is listed as the US Air Force. Members of the Army are second, and the Navy is third.
Mitt Romney’s top three, measured as the group whose members donated the most to his effort, are Goldman Sachs, Credit Suisse, and Morgan Stanley. As you might imagine, this is a contrast that the Paul campaign is more than happy to publicize.
“This fundraising analysis confirms Americans’ beliefs about Ron Paul and their suspicions about Mitt Romney ... Romney relies almost exclusively on his big-business ties,” said Paul campaign spokesman Jesse Benton in a statement.
