October's Federal Election Commission filings provide a telling snapshot of who's leading the race to become the Democratic nominee in 2004--who's raising the most money and doling it out to fellow Democrats in tight races this fall. (Who's Who).

October's Federal Election Commission filings provide a telling snapshot of who's leading the race to become the Democratic nominee in 2004--who's raising the most money and doling it out to fellow Democrats in tight races this fall. Al Gore's Leadership '02 raised about $1.2 million but distributed only about $50,000 of it--all, interestingly, to nonincumbent Democrats campaigning for Senate seats. Likewise, Sen. John Edwards's (D-N.C.) New American Optimists has raised a strong $2.2 million but donated just $84,000, most to his fellow Senate Democrats. Worst was Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), whose Citizen Soldier Fund has raised nearly $4.5 million, but distributed a mere $55,000 to House and Senate Democrats. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle's (D-S.D.) DASHPAC, on the other hand, has raised nearly $3 million and has distributed about $91,000 to House candidates and $221,000 to Senate Democrats, with large checks going to the most vulnerable: Max Baucus (D-Mont.), Max Cleland (D-Ga.), Tim Johnson (D-S.D.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), and Paul Wellstone (D-Minn.). Gephardt's Effective Government Committee has raised about $1 million and has spread about $220,000 among more than 50 of his fellow House colleagues. Sen. Joe Lieberman's (D-Conn.) Responsibility, Opportunity, Community PAC has lived up to its name, raising $2.5 million and distributing it widely among House Democrats and vulnerable Senate Democrats. But the hands-down winner was Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), whose HILLPAC raised $2.4 million and spread nearly half a million of it to House and Senate Democrats.