Ron Paul raises more than $1 million in 24 hours

It looks like Ron Paul hasn't lost his ability to raise big cash among small donors.

In an online cash push his campaign calls a "money bomb," the libertarian Texas congressman has raised more than $1 million for his 2012 presidential run in less than 24 hours—and the money continues to roll in.

The fund-raising quest, launched ahead of last night's first GOP presidential debate, is reminiscent of Paul's money efforts in the 2008 campaign. During that run, he was known to raise serious cash quickly through small dollar donations solicited from his intensely loyal base.

But that's not the only good news for Paul. A random CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll released Thursday found the Texas congressman "fares best" among likely GOP contenders against President Obama in next year's 2012 campaign.

According to the survey, Obama leads Paul in a projected match-up by just 7 points—52 percent to 45 percent among likely voters. By comparison, Mike Huckabee trails Obama by eight points, while Mitt Romney is down 11 points.

(Photo of Paul posing with a supporter in New Hampshire: Jim Cole/AP)