Bill Richardson accumulates $7.1 million warchest

[Adelante]

Democratic presidential candidate Bill Richardson showed rising financial strength during the second quarter of the year, accumulating a campaign warchest of $7.1 million by June 30, according to a disclosure report filed today.

The New Mexico governor's campaign raised $7 million from April through June, keeping expenses for the quarter below $5 million.

Richardson's financial resources lag far behind Democratic front-runners Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) but his campaign is drawing closer in financial terms to the other major candidate, former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.)

Aides to Edwards disclosed earlier this month that the former senator had raised at least $9 million, down considerably from the $14 million that Edwards raised the previous quarter. It will not be clear how much of a bank balance Edwards has built during the quarter until he files a detailed campaign finance disclosure report that includes expenditures.

Richardson was the first major Democratic presidential candidate to file a disclosure report in advance of a midnight Sunday deadline.

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