(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-05-22 11:10

WASHINGTON - New US Federal Election Commission files show Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama collected 31.3 million US dollars in April from more than 200,000 new donors, the Washington Times said Wednesday.

US Democratic presidential candidate and Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) speaks during a campaign visit at Maysville High School in Maysville, Kentucky, May 19, 2008. [Agencies]

The senator from Illinois now has 37.3 million dollars in cash on hand to spend until the Democratic nomination convention in late August, according to the reports.

In contrast, his rival, Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York, is 19.5 million dollars in debt, including 10 million dollars to herself.

She brought in about 22 million dollars in April, and has 8 million dollars in cash on hand.

All told, Obama has now raised 256 million dollars for the primary election, just behind the 262 million dollars taken in by President George W. Bush in 2004.

Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama waves to the crowd with his wife Michelle after his speech at his Oregon and Kentucky primary election night rally in Des Moines, Iowa, May 20, 2008. [Agencies]

He has already surpassed the 219 million dollars raised by 2004 Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry.

Meanwhile, Sen. John McCain, the Republican presumptive presidential nominee, is closing the gap with Obama in campaign financing.

He brought in 18.5 million dollars during April, spent only 8.5 million dollars, and started this month with 22 million dollars in the bank.

In effect, McCain has whittled down Obama's financial advantage from nearly 5 to 1 at the start of April to slightly more than 2 to 1 at the start of May.