WASHINGTON, May 16 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama and Democrats raised $43.6 million in April, about $10 million less than what was raised in March, Obama's campaign said.
The contributions to Obama and the Democratic National Committee doesn't include several large fund-raisers in early May, including one hosted by George Clooney in Hollywood that reportedly raised $15 million, The New York Times reported Wednesday.
In a video released Wednesday, Obama campaign manager Jim Messina focused on the need to compete with outside political groups such as Crossroads GPS and Restore Our Future, a super PAC formed to help presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney.
"Oil company executives and other special interests are dumping millions of dollars in super PAC attack ads," Messina said.
So far, Obama has outpaced Romney's fundraising, garnering nearly 10 times the amount of cash on hand Romney had collected by mid-March.
Since then, however, Romney rivals Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich left the race and Ron Paul said he was concentrating on state party conventions rather than the campaign trail. The Republican candidate has announced plans to raise up to $800 million to spend on the general election, and has increased his fundraising efforts since becoming the presumptive nominee.