The RNC's cash advantage

DNC spokeswoman Karen Finney says the party raised more than $17 million and has $17.5 million on hand, having spent more than $28 million last month, largely on the Democrats' ground game.

That cash figure is a fraction of the $110 million a Republican official says it has, which includes transfers of money McCain is no longer allowed to spend and money from state fundraising vehicles.

The disparity shows the Republicans' continued edge with the wealthy donors who can give in five-figure chunks.

The party money, though, is not worth as much as the campaigns' hard money, because it can't be spent as directly on the campaign, particularly when it comes to media. That was illustrated last month by RNC-funded ads that included confusing, digressive attacks on random Democratic senators, including Byron Dorgan, to fulfill campaign finance rules.

The GOP money will, however, finance an extensive field effort.

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