Obama campaign aims to raise $60 million this month

President Obama's campaign is reportedly pressing its top supporters to raise $60 million for his 2012 re-election effort this month.

Sources tell the Asssociated Press's Ken Thomas the goal was presented to top Democratic fundraisers at a meeting in Chicago on Wednesday. The financial effort comes as 2012 hopefuls aim to post big numbers on campaign fund-raising reports due to the Federal Election Commission early next month.

As The Ticket previously reported, Obama's campaign hopes to raise at least $750 million--and possibly as much as $1 billion--for his re-election bid. According to the Denver Post, the $60 million goal set for June would be spread out between Obama's campaign and the Democratic National Committee.

The June 30 FEC deadline has long been viewed as a key financial benchmark for prospective presidential hopefuls. Sources close to Mitt Romney's campaign say the GOP hopeful is aiming to raise at least $40 million by the end of the month. Previously the candidate had hinted he'd like to raise closer to $50 million, though it was unclear if that goal was for the second-quarter or for the entire GOP primary. Last month, Romney raised just over $10 million in a single day of fund-raising.

What is clear is that 2012 fund-raising is likely to set records when the reports are revealed early next month. In 2007, Obama set a new record when he raised $59 million during the first six months of 2008 campaign. While Obama launched his 2012 fund-raising committee only two months ago, it seems likely--given this month's $60 million goal--that his advisers are aiming to surpass the fund-raising numbers Obama posted during this period four years ago.

(Photo of Obama: Charles Dharapak/AP)

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