Despite Romney raising $4 million from Utahns, much more than any national presidential candidate has ever raised here, Gardner said: "Utah has not tapped out. We can and will raise more money here."

He said Romney will visit Utah two or three times, probably, before the end of the year — when he will then concentrate on the early primary states.

"It is very exciting up here," said Gardner from the Deer Valley meeting. "We've done so well in fund raising across the country but especially in Utah."

"We've never had such a candidate so popular in Utah." Not only is it Romney's LDS faith, says Gardner. "People here know him" from the Olympics. "And they really like him. It is his family values, which reflects well with all the faith-based people here in Utah."

"We are not having any trouble in asking people to donate. Not having any trouble" when they go back and ask people who gave once to give again, said Gardner, a Democrat who nearly ran for governor in the 1980s and 1990s.

Data show that Romney won about $9 of every $10 that Utahns have donated to presidential candidates. Additionally, 87 percent of Utah presidential race donors chose to give to Romney.

While Romney held several fund-raisers in Utah, others did, too, but without nearly as much success. They have included Republicans John McCain and Rudy Giuliani and Democrat John Edwards. (Democrat Bill Richardson also had a fund-raiser here over the weekend, but that was too late to be included in the new disclosures — and Barack Obama plans a fund-raiser here next month.)

Supporters for Giuliani were quoted expecting to raise $250,000 through his fund-raiser but raised only $84,000. McCain sought $150,000, and raised $128,100 here. And the Edwards campaign sought $100,000 and raised $89,000.

A total of 15 presidential candidates received at least some money from Utahns. Some of it was truly paltry. For example, Republican Duncan Hunter received one donation of $50. And Republican John Cox received one donation of just $10.

Only California donated more total money than Utah to Romney. But on a per-population basis, Utah donated far more to Romney than any state.

Data show that nationally, Romney has raised 11 cents for every American. But he raised $1.50 per person in Utah, 14 times higher than his national average. Utah's amount per person was about three times more than the second-place area, the District of Columbia, which gave Romney 54 cents per person.

Six of the 10 states that gave Romney the most on a per-person basis also have large LDS populations: Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, California and Wyoming. Normally, it would be highly unusual for a former governor of Massachusetts to have such strong support in fund raising among those Western states.

The only places among his Top 10 that are not heavily LDS are Massachusetts, where Romney was governor; neighboring Connecticut; Michigan, where he was raised and where his father was governor; and the politics-focused District of Columbia.

Federal Election Committee reports for all candidates are available online at www.fec.gov.

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