HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The field of would-be Republican challengers to President Barack Obama has motored past the Democrat in collective campaign contributions from Pennsylvania, according to an analysis from the Federal Election Commission released this week.

Through Dec. 31, Republicans collected more than $2.5 million from Pennsylvanians, compared with under $2.1 million for Obama, the FEC analysis said.

The tally counts donations made largely in the last nine months of 2011. However, donations from Pennsylvanians are lagging behind less-populous states, including Massachusetts and New Jersey. All told, Pennsylvania, with the sixth-biggest population among states, was the eighth-most generous. More than two-thirds of the total of $4.6 million in donations was from Philadelphia and its suburbs.

Many of the 11 Republicans included in the tally have dropped out of the chase for the party’s nomination.

Leading the GOP pack was former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney with about $906,000 in donations. Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania was second with about $475,000 and U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas was third with $395,000.

Two candidates who have dropped out, Texas Gov. Rick Perry and businessman Herman Cain, were fourth and fifth with $318,000 and $152,000, respectively.

Former U.S. Rep. Newt Gingrich of Georgia was sixth with about $126,000. The rest of the pack each collected less than $84,000.

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