Putting an early stamp on fundraising, Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann raised $583,000 in June for a potential run for Hawai'i governor, surpassing rival U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie, who brought in $486,000 since he announced his campaign in March.

The state campaign-finance reports for the first half of the year provide the first measure of fundraising strength between Hannemann and Abercrombie, who could face each other in the Democratic primary next year.

Hannemann said in June that he was exploring a run for governor and held one major fundraiser. The mayor also transferred $659,000 left over from his mayoral campaign last year to his governor's campaign, bringing his fundraising total to $1.2 million.

Abercrombie held eight fundraising events before the campaign-finance reporting deadline at the end of June. The congressman launched early by Hawai'i standards in part to get a start on raising the estimated $3 million it will likely take for a competitive campaign. He has also asked the state Campaign Spending Commission to allow him to move nearly $1 million in his federal campaign account to his governor's campaign, which would put him on even financial footing with Hannemann.

The commission is expected to make a decision later this month.

Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona, a Republican candidate for governor, raised $308,000 during the first six months of the year and has collected $1.9 million overall.

Candidates often press for donations in advance of campaign-finance reporting deadlines because the figures are used by political analysts and the news media to help determine momentum and fundraising prowess.

"Everybody wants to have the most money," said Dan Boylan, a political analyst and University of Hawai'i-West O'ahu history professor. "Anybody who is running with the blueprint of (President) Obama," he said of Abercrombie, "wants to have the most money. Obama did indeed do a tremendous amount of grassroots campaigning, but he also raised more money and spent more money than anybody has ever spent for the presidency."

DIFFERENT TACTICS

Hannemann, as a mayor presiding over the state's biggest city and the largest public-works project in state history with rail, may have a broader network of potential donors in local business and contractor circles than Abercrombie.

"When we started our work, our intention was to raise funds and create a broad-based network of supporters statewide and we've been successful in doing both. Across Hawai'i, people understand that Mufi Hannemann is the best person to lead our state," David Carey, the president and chief executive officer of Outrigger Enterprises who is part of Hannemann's campaign team, said in a statement.

Abercrombie, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, has collected more money over his two decades in Congress from political action committees than individual donors. In more recent campaigns, he has benefited from large contributions from transportation unions and defense, aerospace, legal and maritime interests.

Abercrombie and his advisers have been concerned about his ability to transfer his federal campaign money to his governor's campaign and also a state law that restricts donations from the Mainland to 20 percent of all contributions.

The congressman said his fundraising is on track. He said he is enthusiastic about the number of smaller donations of $100 or less that he has received and described his grassroots outreach as "Obama lite." The Hawai'i-born Obama was successful at tapping a lucrative vein of fundraising from small donors in Hawai'i and across the country.

"The main thing is I made my goal," Abercrombie said by telephone from Washington, D.C.

Bill Kaneko, Abercrombie's campaign manager, said in an e-mail to supporters that Hannemann raised his money in two weeks with the help of large donors. "The contrast couldn't be more clear," he wrote. "Neil believes we need to change the status quo in Hawai'i, and that's not always popular among big money donors. In this campaign, Neil will not be able to raise a half million dollars from a small group of people in 15 days."

Elisa Yadao, a Hannemann volunteer, described the mayor's report as a "snapshot in time" that covered two weeks of active fundraising while the congressman's report covered four months.

"We fully expect that what people will see is a network of support that will reflect the diversity of the people of the state of Hawai'i," she said.

LT. GOVERNOR'S RACE

In the lieutenant governor's race on the Democratic side, Brian Schatz, the chairman of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i, has raised $155,000, including a $50,000 loan from his father.

State Senate Majority Leader Gary Hooser, D-7th (Kaua'i, Ni'ihau), has collected $62,000.

State Rep. Jon Riki Karamatsu, D-41st (Waipahu, Village Park, Waikele), raised $29,000 this year and moved money from his House account for about $49,000 in total fundraising.

Donovan Dela Cruz and Rod Tam both Honolulu City Council members, reported no or minimal fundraising so far this year but had money available from their council accounts.

Schatz said he would not make a decision on a campaign until the end of the year. "While I've set up a committee that fundraises for a possible candidacy, part of our decision-making process is determining the support we have for a statewide campaign," he said in a statement.

Hooser announced his campaign for lieutenant governor in February and had hoped to raise $100,000 in the first 45 days.

"I'm pleased at the number of donors and the amounts that we have raised early," he said. "We're going to continue working hard and I'm confident we're going to be very competitive."