McCain likely to be outspent in election

By Andy Sullivan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - He backs an unpopular war in Iraq, represents an unpopular political party and is endorsed by an unpopular president in the midst of an economic downturn.

As if that's not enough, Republican John McCain could be heavily outspent by his Democratic rival in the U.S. election in November to succeed President George W. Bush.

For every $1 the Arizona senator has raised, Democrat Barack Obama has raised $3. Hillary Clinton, unlikely at this point to beat Obama for the Democratic nomination, has raised two and a half times as much as McCain.

McCain is likely to have enough to compete with either Obama or Clinton, his campaign and Republican strategists say. But several acknowledged that the yawning money gap is another sign of the uphill battle any Republican would face this year.

"I can't emphasize enough how terrible the political environment is for Republicans," said one Republican strategist who requested anonymity to speak candidly. "It is dreadful."

McCain raised $77 million through the end of March, campaign finance records show. Obama raised $235 million by that point, while Clinton raised $189 million.

Sectors like finance and real estate that traditionally favor Republicans have given more to both Democrats this time, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

And a larger portion of the Democrats' money has come from donations of $200 or less -- a sign of widespread support.  Continued...