Obama, Democrats raise $53 mln in March

U.S. President Barack Obama's re-election campaign and Democratic groups affiliated with it raised more than $53 million in March, showing a jump in fundraising over the previous month as the general election gets under way.

More than 567,000 donors gave money to Obama's cause and 97% of the donations were $250 or less, the campaign said in a video released to supporters.

The campaign and its Democratic allies raised more than $45 million in February.

More than 190,000 people were first-time donors in March. The average donation clocked in at $50.78.

"This really is how this works: people building this organization five and ten bucks at a time to take on Mitt Romney," Obama campaign manager Jim Messina said in the video.

Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, is the likely Republican presidential nominee expected to challenge Obama in the Nov. 6 election.

The fundraising totals include donations directly to the Obama campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and other joint fundraising committees.