US:Hillary Clinton has overtaken Democratic rival Barack Obama in fundraising as well as opinion polls for the first time this year, with almost $35 million (€24.7 million) to fight the primaries and a further $16 million earmarked for the presidential election if she becomes her party's nominee.
Mr Obama, who raised more than Ms Clinton in the first half of 2007, has $32 million to fight the primaries, although the candidates are almost on level terms when campaign debt is also taken into account.
Overall, the Democratic presidential candidates have raised more than $243 million, compared with the $152 million that has been raised by Republican candidates.
Republican frontrunner Rudy Giuliani raised more money during the past three months than rivals Mitt Romney, John McCain and Fred Thompson, and the former New York mayor has $11.6 million in the bank to fight the primaries.
Mr Romney's campaign has more than $9 million to spend - but only because the former Massachusetts governor has lent his campaign more than $17.5 million from his immense personal fortune.
Mr Romney has spent more than any other candidate, running 11,000 TV and radio advertisements and spending thousands of dollars to bus supporters to a Republican straw poll he won in Iowa during the summer.
In a letter to supporters yesterday, Mr Obama appealed for donations to close the gap with Ms Clinton, whom he characterised as the candidate of "entrenched political interests" in Washington.
"Washington lobbyists have chosen their candidate and are determined to provide her with an overwhelming advantage. In the face of the most entrenched political machine in Democratic politics, I believe a movement of ordinary Americans can change our country," he wrote.
Ms Clinton enjoys a commanding lead of up to 30 points over Mr Obama in national polls and is comfortably ahead in most of the early voting states.
In Iowa, however, where the first caucuses of the campaign will be held in early January, Ms Clinton is running neck and neck with Mr Obama and former senator John Edwards.
Mr Edwards must win in Iowa to remain in the race and Mr Obama has recently turned his focus on to Iowa too, hoping to stop Ms Clinton's momentum with an early victory.
Mr Obama could also be competitive in South Carolina, which votes later in January and where many Democratic primary voters are African-Americans.
On the Republican side, Mr Romney is ahead in Iowa and New Hampshire but Mr Giuliani is confident that he will win in most of the big states that vote on February 5th. Mr McCain, who was once the frontrunner but saw his campaign implode during the summer, is banking on a victory in New Hampshire, which he won in 2000, to remain in the race for the nomination.
Mr McCain, Mr Romney and former senator and Law and Orderstar Fred Thompson are seeking to portray themselves as "true conservatives" in contrast to Mr Giuliani, who has taken liberal positions on abortion and gay rights.
Conservative Christian leaders have threatened to support a third party candidate if Mr Giuliani wins the Republican nomination, but many conservative voters appear willing to back the former New York mayor despite his liberal views on social issues.