Mitt guns for Bush, McCain money (Politico)

Mitt Romney drew a crowd of about 150 supporters and fundraisers to a strategy meeting Wednesday morning in Boston as part of an effort to win over Republican mega-donor holdouts.

Romney?s camp hopes to secure dozens of bundlers and contributors who came out for George W. Bush and John McCain, but who are still on the sidelines this time around. The campaign is also wooing veteran fundraising operatives who committed early to rivals Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

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At the finance event Wednesday, Rich Beeson, Romney?s political director, and Spencer Wick, Romney?s national finance director, addressed the crowd on the campaign?s plans.

The meeting was an ?opportunity to bring everybody together to talk to the governor and finance committee and how going forward, this could be a long process,? a Romney supporter and fundraiser told POLITICO.

In large part, Romney boosters are targeting bundlers for McCain and Bush because they are the remaining untapped sources of big campaign cash ? critical gets for Romney as he tightens his grip on the Republican nomination.

?Well of course. It?s no secret that we need to get every penny we can. That has to start with new donors,? one person at the meeting said. ?A good place to find them are from McCain and Bush worlds.?

Nearly half of the 46 GOP mega-fundraisers had not committed as of late 2011 to fundraising for a presidential candidate, according to an iWatch News report. Campaigns aggressively seek bundlers because they not only contribute tens of thousands of dollars of their own money, but they corral members of their big-donor network to write checks.

Romney?s finance team is looking to get as much money in the door before they begin raising money for the general election. The campaign announced Wednesday that they raised $24 million for the fourth quarter. It has $19 million cash on hand.

David Beightol of Dutko Grayling said that he has heard discussions that the Romney camp is ?excited to reach McCain supporters.? Beightol, who is a member of Romney?s finance committee, was not present at the meeting Wednesday morning.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/politico_rss/rss_politico_mostpop/http___www_politico_com_news_stories0112_71348_html/44150803/SIG=11mjq0rk4/*http%3A//www.politico.com/news/stories/0112/71348.html

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