Johnson's fundraising lackluster

Campaign contributions are trickling in for former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson's 2012 presidential campaign as he plans his 13th trip to New Hampshire in the last 18 months, but he'll need to raise more money if he wants to be competitive.

Campaign treasurer Chet Goodwin reported Johnson raised a little more than $180,000 between announcing his campaign in mid-April through July 15, and spent nearly all of it. The campaign reported $6,000 cash on hand.

Johnson, an avid outdoorsman, may want to consider touring on his cycle, pitching a tent or making reservations with a budget hotel along the campaign trail, because the report indicates he has racked up more than $227,000 in debts and other obligations.

Johnson lags behind Republican front-runners Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty, Michelle Bachman and Ron Paul.

Romeny reported raising $18 million...well ahead of Paul's $4.5 million, Pawlenty's $4.3 million, and Bachman's $3.6 million.

President Barack Obama raised more than $46 million.

In New Hampshire this weekend, Johnson said he plans to compete in the 38th Annual Stratham Fair Road Race, speak to students at Dartmouth College, and attend campaign events in Keene, Freedom, Dover, Conway and Exeter.

Johnson's probably wishing CNN would have invited him to the first big GOP debate, where he might have been able to reach more potential donors.

Mitt Romney Says McCain-Palin Picking up Undecided Voters.

I partially failed as a backback journalist today. While I had a busy schedule of interviews planned, I didn't shoot any photos. So, I don't have an original pic for this post, but all is not lost. We've got another original newsmaker podcast from our interview with former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.

On Saturday Romney spoke with John McCain supporters in three cities, Farmington, Albuquerque and Las Cruces. I caught up with him this afternoon at the University Hilton just before 2pm.

We talked about agricultural policy differences between the candidates, the new farm bill, "spreading the wealth", independent voters and McCain's humor, after all he's appearing on S-N-L in just a few hours.

Romney thinks the Republicans are picking a majority of undecided voters at the end of this long campaign and that the polls are tightening.



Other's, like LP at NMFBIHOP are NOT so sure of that. LP reports Obama still has a 7 percent spread in New Mexico.

Romney who also spent time in Farmington and Las Cruces today also talked to NM Independent's Heath Haussaman by telephone.

He told Haussaman: I think we’ve got a real shot here,” Romney said. “Two weeks ago it looked impossible, but the polls that we’re seeing now, the people we’re speaking with, the sentiment we’re seeing, suggests that this is winnable.

After the interview Haussaman posted this online commentary.

Also, if you missed my September interview with Gov. Romney you can hear it here.

McCain Surrogates Talk to "The Word" About Their National Roles.

We talked to Representative Heather Wilson just after she was appointed by Senior McCain Strategist Steve Schmidt to the Sarah Palin Truth Squad. We also got introduced to Mitt Romney. We'll wrap up the week with audio from both of these conversations.

Wilson talks to us about her role on the new McCain-Palin Truth Squad. She says Palin makes the GOP’s all-Western presidential ticket more appealing to voters in New Mexico. Wilson told “the word” she believes Obama’s appeal is fading because voters are taking a second look at the democratic candidate.

Wilson also responded to information revealed in lobbyist Kevin Ring’s federal indictment .He's already pleaded guilty. The indictment shows email correspondence between someone on her staff and the corrupt lobbyists connected to Jack Abramoff who's spending four years in prison. Wilson She says her office has strict rules regulating gifts, including tickets to Clippers games.

We also connected with former Republican Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney. He tells “the word” why he continues to advocate the McCain-Palin ticket.