Obama grabbed lots of headlines earlier this month when the campaign announced that, combined with the DNC, it had raised a staggering $181 million in September. It almost matched their fundraising haul from July and August combined. Questions immediately arose about whether Romney could come close to matching Obama's impressive tally. The answer came this afternoon.  

The Romney campaign announced Monday that it, along with the RNC, had raised $170 million in September. It's short of Obama but more than enough to stay competitive. 

Even more, the Romney campaign's online donation page requires a card verification value (CVV) number, unlike the Obama campaign. The Obama website's lax online security has led to suspicions of illegal foreign donations, leading some to question the legitimacy of the campaign's near-record fundraising in the face of lagging Democratic enthusiasm.

Some details from the Romney campaign:

Over $170.48 Million Raised In September

93.1% Of All Donations Received In September Were $250 Or Less

$43.15 Million Raised By Donations Under $250 In September

1,011,773 Donations Received Under $250 In September

Approximately $191.23 Million Cash On Hand

Contributions Received From All 50 States And Washington, D.C.

At this time four years ago, McCain was scaling back ad buys and exiting critical states completely. Romney, however, is entering the final stretch of the campaign with considerable resources to equal or surpass Obama on the airwaves. With rising numbers in the polls and a campaign that is gathering considerable momentum, Romney is well positioned for the final three weeks. 

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