Mitt Romney the presumptive Republican presidential nominee and the RNC raised over $40 million during April, marking the first month the two parties had fundraised jointly. At the same time, Romney’s campaign was attempting to distance itself from plans for a super-political action committee to expense over $10 million in advertising to remind voters about the former ties between President Obama and Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. Wright’s sermons touched on race and became a big issue during the presidential campaign of 2008.

Governor Romney, said Romney’s campaign manager Matt Rhoades, “Is running his campaign based on the economy and jobs and we would like everyone else to follow suit.”

Rhoades concluded by saying, “To us it is clear the campaign for President Obama is running a character assassination campaign.”

In April, Obama with the help of the Democratic National Committee raised over $43.5 million. Neither candidate released the amount of money that went into campaign coffers for the candidates. Those figures are not due until May 20.  Romney said the RNC started to hold joint fundraising events once all the primary rivals from the Republican Party had dropped out, except for Ron Paul. Paul, on May 14, said he would not spend any more money in the remaining primaries.

By working together with parties, a campaign for the presidency can raise more money. An individual can donate up to $5,000 to one candidate, but that same contributor is allowed to give $30,800 annually to a party committee. There is a limit as to what amount the party can spend with its candidates.