Maureen Groppe

IndyStar

Ben Carson overtook Jeb Bush as the top recipient of Hoosier dollars among GOP presidential hopefuls at the end of last year, according to the candidates’ most recent disclosure reports.

Carson, a retired pediatric neurosurgeon, raised $410,708 in contributions of greater than $200 from Indiana through the end of 2015.

Bush, the former Florida governor who has extensive support from top Indiana Republicans, raised $374,422.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz ranks third among GOP presidential candidates for Hoosier dollars, after taking in $242,033.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio collected $176,203.

Donald Trump, the Republican front-runner, ranked 10th in contributions from Indiana.

The totals, calculated by the Federal Election Commission, don’t take into account contributions to super PACs (political action committees) supporting a candidate, or contributions of $200 or less, which don’t have to be identified by donor.

But Carson, who has raised the most money nationally through a candidate committee among Republicans, has also raised the most small-dollar contributions. Carson's campaign, however, has struggled recently, including losing three top aides in January.

Trump, who has loaned his campaign $12.6 million of the $19.3 million raised, boasts that he doesn’t need – or want – donations from individuals or groups who would want favors in return.

Hillary Clinton continues to outraise all the GOP candidates, as well as her rival for the Democratic nomination: Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. That’s true both nationally and in Indiana.

Clinton has collected $579,124 in large-dollar contributions from Hoosiers. Sanders has been given $141,957.

But about 85 percent of the more than $74 million Sanders has raised has come from small donors, compared with about a quarter of Clinton’s $112 million.

Contact Maureen Groppe at mgroppe@gannett.com or @mgroppe on Twitter.