WASHINGTON - In the first quarter of the year, Republican candidates took in less than $650,000 from Georgians, compared to nearly $1.7 million for Democrats, according to the Federal Election Commission.

"This is just a tough year for Republicans," said Andra Gillespie, a political science professor at Emory University in Atlanta. "It's the war; it's President Bush's low approval ratings; it's the immigration bill that stalled. All of those things create a poor electoral environment for Republicans."

Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., led the way by raising $477,271. John Edwards, the former senator from North Carolina, placed second among Democrats with $376,845. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., raised just $81,926. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson drew $76,250.

Among Republicans, only Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, raised a significant amount in Georgia, drawing $405,761, or nearly two-thirds of the Republican take. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., raised $112,578 and former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani took in $88,150.