By Andy Sullivan
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrat Hillary Clinton'spresidential campaign began April awash in red ink and trailingrival Barack Obama in the scramble for cash ahead of Tuesday'sPennsylvania primary, campaign records show.
Documents filed late Sunday with the Federal ElectionCommission show Clinton raised $20.9 million (10.6 millionpounds) in March, less than half the $42.8 million raised byObama.
Clinton's campaign said it had $8 million available for thestate-by-state battle for the Democratic nomination, whileObama's campaign reported $51 million in the bank.
Clinton's campaign also reported $10.3 million in debt.
Arizona Sen. John McCain, who has clinched the Republicannomination, raised $15.4 million in March and ended the monthwith $11.6 million in the bank.
Opinion polls show that Clinton, a New York senator andformer first lady who would be the first woman president, isfavoured to beat Obama in Pennsylvania.
But Obama's fund-raising prowess has allowed him tooutspend her heavily. Obama is an Illinois senator who would bethe first black president.
A defeat in Pennsylvania, or even a less-than-resoundingvictory, could increase pressure on Clinton to drop out of therace and allow the party to unify behind a candidate to take onMcCain in the November election.
Clinton spokesman Jay Carson said the New York senator'sfund-raising has been strong since the end of March, thanks inpart to a benefit concert by pop star Elton John.
"Hillary will have the resources needed to compete and winbecause of the strength of her grassroots support and theinflux of hundreds of thousands of new donors," Carson said inan e-mail.
Roughly half of the campaign's debts are owed to companiesheaded by two senior advisors.
Polling firm Penn, Schoen & Berland, owed $4.6 million, isheaded by Mark Penn, who served as chief strategist until hewas forced to step aside last month.
Grunwald Communications, owed $530,000, is headed by MandyGrunwald, who serves as the campaign's ad maker.
(Additional reporting by Jeff Mason, editing by AlanElsner)
(To read more about the U.S. political campaign, visitReuters "Tales from the Trail: 2008" online athttp://blogs.reuters.com/trail08/)