2010: White Has Less Than $3 Million on Hand

With the start of early voting just weeks away, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Bill White's campaign reports $2.75 million on hand, a huge drop from the more than $9 million it had available after the last filing period. The report also shows he raised $4.68 million in the latest July 1-Sept. 23 filing period.

That drop in cash probably has something to do with all of the television ads you're seeing now. Campaigns have to pay up front for that TV time, and drawing down their reserves is pretty normal at this point in the election cycle. The White campaign said it spent more than $11 million during the period, which includes money for television spots that haven't aired yet. That expenditure total tells us the campaign spent more money in this recent period than it had on-hand at the end of the last one.

More than 80 percent of contributions during the last three months were of $100 or less, and about 97 percent of individual contributions came from Texans. "We saw amazing results online, with 65 percent of individual contributions this period coming in on the web," said Scott Atlas, White's campaign finance chairman, in a release.

Gov. Rick Perry's numbers aren't available yet, but the report — like the rest of White's — is due today. White has proven his fundraising prowess so far by keeping up with the incumbent governor — if not beating him — in the money race this year.