Romney Poses Challenge to Fellow Contenders

Mitt Romney isn't afraid of some healthy competition. The Massachusetts Governor and presidential hopeful set a challenge to his fellow Republican candidates: raise $20 million and remain a serious candidate. Romney has been in the news numerous times for his well-oiled political machine and successful organizers. This challenge comes on the heels of Fred Thompson's official declaration of candidacy and the momentum being gained by Mike Huckabee. Huckabee has been known for reportedly spending far less on the campaign trail than some of the other presidential nominees, both Republican and Democratic.

In an article in The Washington Post, Romney was quoted in an interview with the Associated Press when speaking of the necessity for the higher levels of funding for a campaign: "I think you're going to have to see what level of ground support that they have and what level of fundraising they have...If Huckabee raises $20 million this quarter, like we did in the [first] quarter, then he'll become a front-tier candidate."

Romney's challenge assumes that such a large amount of money is necessary for the final stretch of campaigning, versus jump-starting and sustaining a much longer period of candidacy. Contenders such as McCain and Huckabee argue that "momentum" is just as vital as funding, according to The Washington Post.