Here are 10 things you need to know today.
- Obama campaign raises $35 million in March: Campaign finance hauls were the news on late Friday, as President Obama’s camp took in $35 million last month, along with another $18.7 million brought in by the Obama Victory Fund, a joint fundraising effort between the DNC and the campaign. Obama’s campaign had $104 million on hand at the end of March.
- Obama campaign releases campaign bundlers: President Obama’s camp released the names of major campaign “bundlers” Friday, donors who put together large numbers of high-dollar contributions. Former MF Global CEO (a financial firm that has been accused of misusing client funds) and previous New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine was among the bundlers. Read the list here.
- Romney and supporters release numbers: The campaign of likely Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney raised $12.6 million in March, while a super PAC supporting Romney’s candidacy, Restore Our Future, reported an $8.6 million haul.
- Romney fights back on the Latino vote: The Supreme Court will hear arguments on a challenge to Arizona’s tough immigration law next week, and with the national conversation turning to the topic, the Romney campaign is trying to distract from some of the hardline stances he’s taken so far on the trail. “This campaign will be about President Obama’s record in office — and nowhere is that record of failure more clear than in the Hispanic community. After promising to fix America’s economic hardships in 2008, President Obama’s failed policies have left millions of Hispanics without jobs and millions more in poverty,” said Andrea Saul, Romney campaign spokesperson, in a email to reporters.
- Democratic Senator unsure whether he’ll vote for Obama: West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin, who won a special election to replace the late Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) in 2010 and is up for election again in 2012, said he wasn’t sure he’d be voting for President Obama this time around. He followed up in a statement to TPM later in the day: “many West Virginians and I also have concerns about the Obama administration when it comes to energy — coal in particular — and the need to get our financial house in order. Like all West Virginians, I will be watching very carefully as this race develops. Whoever is president, my first priority is the same — as always. I look for what’s best for West Virginia and the nation as a whole.” Manchin also criticized Romney as “out of touch.”
- Kyl endorses Romney: With the focus on Arizona next week, Romney’s campaign rolled out the endorsement of Sen. John Kyl (R-AZ), who is retiring this year. “After a long primary, it is time for the Republican Party to come together and support the candidate who will defeat President Obama. That is why I am proud to support Mitt Romney,” Kyl said in a statement.
- RNC memo — Democratic campaign structure “weak”: A memo sent to reporters from Republican National Committee communications director Sean Spicer said their opponents have been worn down by the midterms. “After a resounding defeat in 2010, the Democrats’ infrastructure is weak. And with no record to run on, they enter the general election with a clear disadvantage — forcing the president to frantically crisscross the country raising campaign dollars and delivering speeches to rally disaffected supporters. In contrast, as the RNC readies to partner with our nominee, we start from a position of strength.”
- Haley profiled in Vogue: South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) was profiled in the latest issue of Vogue, where she praised Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as an inspiration for public life. “”She said there will be all of these reasons that people tell you you can’t do it. She said that there’s only one reason for you to do it, and it’s because you know it’s the right thing. I walked out of there thinking, I’ve got to do this,” she told the magazine.
- Romney campaigns in Pennsylvania: Romney will speak at the Franklin County Lincoln Day Dinner in Greencastle, Pa., on Saturday, before the state’s Republican primary on April 24. Romney is all but assured the victory after his chief competition, former Sen. Rick Santorum, dropped out of the race.
