OTTAWA - Thomas Mulcair has pulled ahead in the NDP leadership race, at least when it comes to raising money.
The latest candidate financial reports filed with Elections Canada show the Montreal MP had raked in just over $205,000 from 1,347 donors by the end of February.
The numbers suggest Mulcair is the candidate with momentum; his haul is up $60,000 since the end of December.
Former party president Brian Topp isn't far behind, with $183,000 from 984 donors.
Topp had been the leading fundraiser up to the end of last year but he's raised only about $14,000 since then.
Ottawa MP Paul Dewar has also showed momentum, collecting $144,000 from 782 donors, up about $50,000 since December and now ahead of Toronto MP Peggy Nash in the fundraising stakes.
Nash has gathered $139,000 from 727 contributors, up $31,000.
The three other contenders -- Nathan Cullen, Niki Ashton and Martin Singh -- have not yet submitted their reports, which are due Saturday.
The reports show the financial status of each candidate's campaign from the time of registering as a candidate last fall until the end of February.
Of the four who've submitted reports so far, Topp is the only one who records taking out a loan -- $100,000 from John Sterling a friend who "made a personal loan to help get the campaign off the ground," according to a Topp spokesman.
Topp also reports a $20,000 line of credit; Mulcair $15,000 and Dewar almost $31,000.
