Huckabee’s Early Fundraising Almost Beats His Entire 2008 Amount

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee’s campaign and its outside allies have raised $8 million so far.

While he most of his rivals, Huckabee has shown during previous elections he is the master of a shoestring budget. His entire 2008 White House bid raised $9 million total. (That campaign predated the invention of the super PAC, which can raise and spend unlimited cash to help a candidate.)

“We’re on perfect pace to do what we talked about early on,” a senior Huckabee adviser said. “Campaigns take money, and the Governor is far ahead of where he was in 2008.”

Of the $8 million, $6 million of it was raised by outside groups who back Huckabee. The other $2 million went directly to the campaign. Huckabee aides said he was only taking money for the primary election, capping donations at $2,700 per person.

The haul, however, is overshadowed by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (his political machine raised $114.4 million through his campaign and allied groups) and Sen. Tex Cruz of Texas ($51 million total), Even so, Huckabee’s sum gives him enough resources to continue laying the groundwork in early nominating states such as Iowa and South Carolina.

Huckabee will file his forms to the Federal Election Commission soon.