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Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Boston is top donor city for Elizabeth Warren


US Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren received more in campaign donations from Boston in the first three months of the year than from any other city in America, collecting more than $374,000 from residents of the state capital, according to a Globe analysis of campaign finance documents.


Warren, a Democrat who has been criticized by Republicans for raising most of her massive war chest from out of state, collected $1.7 million in large contributions from Massachusetts residents in the first quarter this year, the most from any state. She received $479,000 from New York residents and $426,000 from Californians, who ranked second and third in support for her campaign.


The rankings include only contributions of at least $200, for which the Federal Election Commission requires candidates to include the address and occupation of donors. Smaller contributions may be reported as one lump sum, with no details on the donors.


Warren raised $6.9 million during the first three months of the year, a massive sum that doubled the $3.4 million raised by Brown. The Warren campaign has said that about $2.5 million, or 36 percent, of its total money raised in the first quarter, including the smaller donations, came from Bay State residents.


With about $15 million in his campaign account by March 31, Brown still leads Warren in total cash. Warren reported about $10.9 million in her account on March 31.


The candidates are expected to spend “in excess of $20 million each,’’ said Stuart Rothenberg, editor of the Rothenberg Political Report, which follows political races on a nonpartisan basis. “That is the top of the top tier’’ among expensive races, he said.


The Massachusetts contest, which Rothenberg currently rates as a toss-up, combines several elements that drive up costs, including the fact that Massachusetts is a populous state with an expensive primary media market, in Boston, as well as several secondary markets, he said. Also, the race features candidates who are accomplished fund-raisers with national appeal, and the election is taking place in a year in which political control of the US Senate may come down to one race.

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