Looks like the Democrats are cleaning up.

The emphasis by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Bernie Sanders on raising money directly for their campaigns has helped them amass large donor pools critical to generating the estimated $1 billion each party’s candidate will need to raise by Election Day.

While GOP candidates put an intense focus early in the year on raising huge sums for independent groups, many have had less success in attracting smaller donations that are the lifeblood of campaign operations, campaign finance reports filed Thursday show. ...WaPo

So far, two Republican candidates have had to drop out for lack of support. Walker (surprise) and Perry (less of a surprise), are gone. One Republican strategist offers a idea of what his candidates are experiencing:

“You could have this big super PAC, but if you have limited momentum and limited money to keep the campaign going, it’s like the guy at the top of Mount Everest with two broken legs and an extra oxygen tank,” said Republican strategist Matthew Dowd. “You’re living longer, but you’re not going anywhere.” …WaPo

The spoiler turns out to be Donald Trump. He has plenty of money of his own. And he’s getting money from fans. And his very presence in the picture is driving the attention of big donors away from the rest of the field.

Meanwhile, the Democratic front runners walk away with the $$ when it comes to the magnitude of small, individual donors — with Sanders way ahead of Clinton. Hillary spends hers a lot faster.

__

Is it time for Jeb Bush to go away? Or has he already done that?

Yesterday, upon the stair,

I wish, I wish he’d go away…

___

Sometimes it gets ridiculous…

Cross-posted from Prairie Weather

graphic via shutterstock.com