Kerry keeps up with Bush in fund raising

COMBINED DISPATCHES
WASHINGTON -- Sen. John F. Kerry's presidential campaign announced Thursday it has raised a total of $180 million, exceeding nearly all expectations and keeping the Democrat financially competitive with President Bush.
As of the end of May, Bush had raised about $215 million for his re-election bid -- a record for any presidential candidate. Kerry has raised more than any Democratic contender for the White House.
The Kerry campaign said that in June, for the fourth month in a row, it pulled in more than $30 million.
The Bush campaign has not yet released its June fund-raising figures, but it expects to report it had $64 million in cash on hand at the month's end. Kerry's campaign did not release its cash-on-hand figures.
Kerry's schedule
Kerry flew to Washington on Thursday after spending two days out of public sight at a family estate in Pittsburgh. Aides said he spent much of that time working on his convention acceptance speech. He is to return to the campaign trail today and begin weekend with a bus tour of small Midwestern towns in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa.
As Kerry arrived in Washington, the capital buzzed with speculation about his approaching selection of a running mate. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson took himself off the list Thursday.
, telling Kerry he wants to keep his promise to the state's residents to serve a full, four-year term.
A top Hispanic Democrat, Richardson was viewed as someone who could help Kerry appeal to Hispanics.