Republican Cash Flow Provides Clues for 2012 Presidential Field

The race for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination began quietly last year, Politico reports, with political committees for most of the presumed hopefuls spending thousands of dollars on policy advice and strategy planning. Sarah Palin's committee spent nearly $50,000 in the second half of 2009; Mike Huckabee and Tim Pawlenty spent a combined $97,000 on fundraising lists, and Newt Gingrich spent nearly $600,000 flying around the country.

The stated purpose of the candidates' expenses is to rebuild their party and advance conservative principles. But the specific uses of committee money show they are also shoring up their personal platforms, with a possible national candidacy in mind.

Palin paid $21,000 to a Maryland lawyer for advice on "conscience objections" to health care and other domestic issues, and $30,000 to a consulting firm for foreign policy expertise. Both consultants helped Palin with a speech to business investors in Hong Kong, which was seen as a step toward presenting a more polished policy profile.

Mitt Romney, whose presidential success would likely depend on a victory in the New Hampshire primary, gave more than $17,000 to candidates and political groups in the state. Gingrich spend more than half a million dollars jetting across the country to speaking engagements. Gingrich's political committee raised more money than all the others in the second half of 2009: $6.4 million.