Thompson raises $9.3 million
Thompson tours one of the laboratories at the Lincolnway Energy plant in Nevada, Iowa Wednesday.
WASHINGTON (CNN) - Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, the latest addition to the Republican presidential race, raked in $9.3 million during the third quarter fundraising period, his campaign announced Thursday.
Thompson currently has $7 million in cash on hand. He received donations from 80,000 individuals.
Campaign Manager Bill Lacy said Thompson appealed to that many Americans because he is an "authentic conservative."
"Some of the other campaigns have spent tens of millions of dollars so far, only to lose support among voters; yet, Fred is running strong in most of the early primary states without having spent a dime on advertising," Lacy said. "We are on plan and will have the funding we need to get Fred's message to voters."
Thompson reported that he raised $12.7 million since he first started collecting campaign contributions this summer, $3.4 million of which was raised near the end of the second quarter.
Related: Giuliani edges Romney in fundraising
- CNN Associate Producer Lauren Kornreich
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Thompson's support will collapse once he is actually on a stage with intelligent people. Or is he ducking the next debate too???
"Authentic" anything would be about the last word I'd use to describe this guy.
In movies, he'd play a great general, Senator, or President with that easy drawl of his, his size and manner that he's learned by playing all those parts.
He's not the worst guy in the world, as he doesn't even believe in the right wing nonsense he has to spew now, but then again, he is far from "authentic".
Brownback, Duncan Hunter, Tom Tancredo are "authentic" conservative republicans. They actually believe in that nonsense. The rest (Rudy, Mitt, Thompson, McCain) just pander in a sickening and phony way.
(Ron Paul is an exception)
Has this man participated in any of the GOP debates so far? I don't remember seeing this guy up there in any of 'em. Are you sure he is a candidate?
OMG, when I saw the green hat I thought it was Kermit the Frog for a minute. Fortunately it was only a lazy old B-actor from a Southern backwater who thinks he stands a chance in [heck] of winning anything.
Now that people can actually experience for themselves exactly how limp and incompetent his campaign is, let's see how he does next quarter.
Everything about this guy just screams "Zzzzzz..." He says the same platitudes over and over about Federalism and cutting taxes. What's he going to DO? I mean, Bush campaigned on the same platform and look what he ended up doing. Does Thompson really think people are going to believe this a THIRD time?
Color me dubious.
who in the hell is giving this guy money?
Authentic conservative? He's an authentic idiot!
Maybe its me, but I still just don't get it.
Nice photo!
Is this clown still running?