Cruz far outpaced GOP rivals in February spending and income

Big money flew through the checking account of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz's presidential campaign in February, when it reported its highest monthly income and expenditures to date, soaring above the GOP pack. And for the first time, the Cruz campaign spent more than it took in.

Fresh federal filings posted Sunday show a dramatic uptick in campaign costs and contributions for the period that spanned from Cruz's unexpected win in Iowa, the nation's first primary contest, to the day before his momentum seemed to fall behind frontrunner Donald Trump in a string of Super Tuesday votes on March 1.

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Cruz's Houston-based campaign took in $12 million in February, according to Federal Elections Commission records, compared in $7.6 million in January and $20.5 million in the last three months of 2015 combined. It spent almost $17.5 million in February, up from $12.6 million in January and $20.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2015.

Since announcing candidacy in March 2015, the Cruz campaign has taken in $66.5 million and spent $58.5 million, leaving about $8 million in the coffers.

Cruz's crowded collection of allied super PACs raised about $6 million and spent almost $12 million in February, largely on TV and radio ads.

Cruz far outpaced his GOP competitors in spending and revenue through February, when the campaigns staked out ground before the big waves of primary votes in March.

The now defunct campaign of Fla. Sen. Marco Rubio took in $9.5 million and spent $9 million in February; Ben Carson took in $5.7 million and spent $5 million, and Jeb Bush took in $1.2 million and spent $3.6 million.

Trump's federal filings bear little insight, because the mogul pays most campaign costs with his personal money. They do show that Trump lent his campaign $4.9 million in February and took in $941,000 in contributions.

Trump has collected $7.7 million in contributions since he launched his campaign in June, in spite of his repeated assertion that he self-funds the operation. He has lent his campaign $17.5 million.