Republican Rubio raises $12 million for 2016 White House bid

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Marco Rubio raised $12 million in the three months through the end of June for his Republican bid for the presidency in 2016, his campaign said on Monday, marking a pace that lagged his main rivals in the race.

Outside groups that back Rubio said last week they raised about $32 million to support his White House effort. The Florida senator launched his campaign in April and has positioned himself as a standard bearer for a new generation of Republican leadership.

Early fundraising is important for Republicans seeking to distance themselves from the pack, which includes 15 announced candidates so far.

"Your first money is your easiest money, the low-hanging fruit," said Dave Carney, a Republican strategist in New Hampshire. He said strong early hauls indicated the potential for endurance. Each candidate needed money to campaign not just in the earliest primary states of Iowa and New Hampshire but in South Carolina, Nevada and the 12 states where primary votes are held on a single Tuesday in early March.

Rubio's total fundraising was well below the haul of fellow Floridian Jeb Bush, the former governor and early front-runner for the Republican nomination for the November 2016 election.

Bush's campaign raised $11.4 million in the first two weeks after he announced his candidacy, and a Super PAC supporting him raked in $103 million as of the end of June.

Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas also outstripped Rubio in the three months through June, bringing in more than $51 million including Super PAC fundraising.

Carney attributed Rubio's lag compared with Bush and Cruz to competition with Bush in Florida and also Rubio's early focus on honing policies for his campaign platform, rather than fundraising.

Other Republican hopefuls have tried to draw audiences close through homespun tales of their early lives: Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker likes to talk about his first job, at McDonald's, and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie often uses the first part of his time onstage to emphasize his 'straight-talking' attitude. By contrast, Rubio's early stump speeches have offered more details about his plans on issues ranging from immigration to foreign policy than almost any other candidate.

Other Republicans, including Rick Perry and Ben Carson, reported more modest fundraising.

Rubio's campaign said donations came from all 50 states and the median amount was $50. The campaign said support was especially strong in Florida, where supporters gave $2.2 million for his presidential bid.

(Reporting by Emily Stephenson; Editing by Doina Chiacu and Andrew Hay)