Giuliani raises $15 million for W.House bid

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Republican presidential hopeful Rudolph Giuliani raised more than $15 million during the first quarter of 2007, his campaign said on Monday, with over $10 million raked in during March alone.

The former New York mayor, the first Republican to report his total, trailed Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton who reported on Sunday raising $26 million. He was ahead of former Democratic Sen. John Edwards, who raised more than $14 million for the first three months of 2007.

"Considering our late start, we are very pleased by the pace raised in March and see it as a positive indication of what's to come," Giuliani's campaign manager Mike DuHaime said in a statement.

Giuliani ended the quarter with $11 million in cash on hand, his campaign said. Almost $14 million raised was for his primary bid. Donors can contribute up to $2,300 for the primary election as well as another $2,300 for the general election.

The deadline to report quarterly campaign-finance figures to the Federal Election Commission is April 15, and candidates are jockeying to cast their fund-raising clout in the best light as an early test of their success for what will be the most expensive campaign in U.S. history.

The money will be used to fund extensive campaign operations in key early primary states such as Iowa and New Hampshire as well as buy television advertisements and to raise more money.