Thanks to his strong performance in the first debate, the presidential campaign for Mitt Romney was able to raise over $111.8 million between October 1 and October 17.

Romney has spent a significant amount of his cash over the past two weeks. Earlier his campaign reported it had on hand over $169 million, which was $22 million less than at the end of last month, despite his huge fundraising haul in the beginning of this month.

Obama is expected to take in a total sum of more than $1 billion, Romney has exceeded the original goals of his campaign with respect to donations. Thanks to his strong performance during the first debate a surge in donations took place, including a large amount form small donors online, an area that Obama has been more successful at than Romney during the entire campaign.

During the first debate, a spokesperson form Romney tweeted that Romney was receiving two donations per second and the spokesperson said the Romney campaign raised $12 million in just the first 48 hours following the first debate.

Through the end of September, Obama had taken in over $947 million in donations. Romney, through the end of September, had taken in $815 million and that does not include funds raised by state Republican parties that can also help his campaign.

At the last retreat in Manhattan for Romney donors, aides from his campaign told supporters that the campaign was planning to spend close to two thirds of the remaining campaign money on advertising, 25% on contacting voters and 5% on internet campaigning.