October's Federal Election Commission filings provide a telling snapshot of who's leading the race to become the Democratic nominee in 2004--who's raising the most money and doling it out to fellow Democrats in tight races this fall.

• Author: Threadgill, Susan
• Position: Who's Who

October's Federal Election Commission filings provide a telling snapshot of who's leading the race to become the Democratic nominee in 2004--who's raising the most money and doling it out to fellow Democrats in tight races this fall. Al Gore's Leadership '02 raised about $1.2 million but distributed only about $50,000 of it--all, interestingly, to nonincumbent Democrats campaigning for Senate seats. Likewise, Sen. John Edwards's (D-N.C.) New American Optimists has raised a strong $2.2 million but donated just $84,000, most to his fellow Senate Democrats. Worst was Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), whose Citizen Soldier Fund has raised nearly $4.5 million, but distributed a mere $55,000 to House and Senate Democrats. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle's (D-S.D.) DASHPAC, on the other hand, has raised nearly $3 million and has distributed about $91,000 to House candidates and...