Utah No. 2 in Romney contributions

Utah is "a huge part of the Romney fund-raising plan," Jowers said. "The first quarter of fund-raising is always where you go to your known supporters. Romney is beloved here for his Olympic leadership."

So it's no surprise that a significant chunk of the more than $23 million raised by Romney in the first three months of the year came from Utahns, including some $2 million by late February when Romney held fund-raising events in Salt Lake City and St. George.

Information released by the campaign showed that Utah trailed only California in total dollars raised, followed by Massachusetts, Texas, Michigan, New York, Florida, Arizona, Ohio and Connecticut.

Romney campaign officials did not provide a state-by-state breakdown of money raised.

Just how much cash was collected in Utah was not immediately available from among the more than 36,000 donations reported to the FEC in the first filing of the presidential campaign season. Almost 20,000 of those donations were less than $200 and were not itemized.

A look at the 30 pages of campaign receipts shows more than $40,000 raised from Utahns named Gardner, including the maximum allowable contribution of $2,300 from both famed Olympic wrestler Rulon Gardner and developer Kem Gardner, a longtime friend of Romney's.

The name Huntsman is there, too, but not the name of Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., who supports a Romney rival, Arizona Sen. John McCain. The governor's father, Jon Sr., and brother David, along with their spouses each gave $2,300.

Earl Holding and his wife list their address as Wyoming on their contributions to Romney, but Utahns know him as the head of a hospitality-resort empire that includes Utah's Grand America Hotel and Snowbasin ski resort.

Even former Salt Lake County Council member Steve Harmsen, who recently hosted a fund-raiser at his Federal Heights home for former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, gave. Same for radio station executive David Simmons, who hosted a similar event for McCain.

Romney bested both Giuliani, widely seen as the current front-runner for the GOP nomination, and McCain when it came to total dollars raised. While Romney led the Republican candidates with $23 million, Giuliani had $15 million and McCain, $12.5 million.

However, Romney has spent more than half of his campaign money, leaving him with $11.9 million in cash on hand. Giuliani has $10.8 million in the bank, according to FEC filings. McCain, who had not yet filed his FEC report, is expected to show a high spending rate and a significantly smaller amount in the bank than Romney or Giuliani.

More telling of Romney's overwhelming support in Utah is that he took in more than $1 million from the fund-raisers he held here, compared to more than $150,000 for McCain and some $200,000 for Giuliani.

Giuliani counted only a smattering of Utahns among his nearly 10,000 contributor entries. Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne gave $2,300 and former Salt Lake mayoral candidate Molonai Hola, $1,000.

Jeff Garbett contributed $750 — enough, he said, to get him and his brother into Giuliani's March 30 fund-raiser even though the advertised price was a minimum of $1,000 a plate. Still, he said he hasn't made up his mind who he'll support.

Garbett, 26, said he's looking at both Giuliani and Romney, "as of right now. But it's early."

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Contributing: Associated Press

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