The January surge in fundraising positions the Illinois senator for the Feb. 5 Democratic primaries and caucuses in 22 states. He and Clinton face off in L.A. tonight.

By Dan Morain and Michael Muskal, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
11:20 AM PST, January 31, 2008

Money, the fuel for the national presidential nominating sweepstakes, took center stage as the leading Democratic candidates braced for their first one-on-one debate in Los Angeles tonight.

Illinois Sen. Barack Obama's campaign reported this morning that in January it had raised $32 million that can be used for the primary battle against New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. That one-month take was more than Obama raised in any three-month period in 2007, campaign aides said this morning.

Clinton and Obama are set to face off this evening at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood after former Sen. John Edwards left the field Wednesday. ...