Energized Romney Plans to Resume TV Ads

Hoping to capitalize on his fundraising success, Republican Mitt Romney planned to resume television advertising on Wednesday in early voting Iowa and New Hampshire.

The ad, following up on a round Romney aired immediately after announcing his candidacy in mid-February, targets fiscal conservatives by focusing on his pledge to cap discretionary federal spending other than that dedicated to the U.S. military.

Romney estimates that would save $300 billion over 10 years.

The ad also distinguishes the former Massachusetts governor from his fellow Republican, President Bush, who has only vetoed one bill after more than six years in office. Romney pledges to veto any budget that exceeds his proposed cap.

"I know how to veto. I like vetoes. I've vetoed hundreds of spending appropriations as governor," Romney says in the ad. "And frankly, I can't wait to get my hands on Washington."

Spokesman Kevin Madden said the ad will run statewide in both states, but would not provide the specific amount spent on the ad.

While Romney routinely vetoed bills during his four years as governor, those vetoes were almost always overridden by the heavily Democratic Legislature.

Romney announced Monday that he had raised $23 million for his campaign during the first three months of the year, besting the rest of the Republican field and rivaling the $26 million in first-quarter fundraising announced over the weekend by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y.

While Romney's campaign has spent just more than half of that money, it still had about $11.3 million cash on hand as of March 31.

The new ad will use up some of that reserve, but Romney is planning additional fundraisers this week in Kansas City, Mo., and Indianapolis to help replenish the funds. He spent about $2 million on his first series of ads, designed to introduce the relative political newcomer to a national audience.

The first ads ran in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Florida and Michigan.


LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said Tuesday that he's not daunted by having raised only a little more than $500,000 for his presidential exploratory committee in the first three months of the year.

"You don't get spooked in the early steps of the race," Huckabee said in an interview broadcast by Little Rock radio station KARN. The Republican likened the race to a marathon - Huckabee has run in four of them - and said he is pacing himself for a long run.

Huckabee left office in January and formed an exploratory committee for the Republican presidential nomination. He had roughly $300,000 in cash on hand at the end of the reporting period, Huckabee campaign manager Chip Saltsman said.

Saltsman said Huckabee's goal was to raise $500,000 in the first three months of the year.

"We hit the goal we had," Huckabee said. "Our position is that it is better to finish strong than start strong."

Huckabee conceded that he will need more money.

"We'll have to raise millions to be competitive," Huckabee said.

The funding gap is tremendous between Huckabee and more prominent GOP presidential contenders, such as former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Romney raised $23 million, while Giuliani reported raising $15 million. Arizona Sen. John McCain, another Republican presidential hopeful, reported raising $12.5 million.

"You've got to remember we just started this campaign six weeks ago," Saltsman said. "You've got some of these guys who have been running for president for six years."

Huckabee said he expects his fortunes to improve when GOP primary voters hear his conservative message.