WASHINGTON — Hawai'i residents donated more than $219,300 to 15 presidential candidates during the first half of the year and favored Democrats more than 2-to-1 over Republicans, according to federal campaign finance reports.

So far this year, Democrats have pulled in $157,300 from state contributors while Republicans have received $62,000. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., who was born in Hawai'i and graduated from Punahou School, led the way with $98,200.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, who is supported by Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, was second to Obama with $22,560. Democratic Rep. Neil Abercrombie supports Obama.

The Federal Election Commission, which released the state-by-state figures, said the numbers represent contributions in excess of $200 and do not cover smaller donations.

Brian Schatz, who is active with the Obama campaign in the Islands, said Obama's state fundraising total is "tens of thousands of dollars" higher when smaller donations are counted. He also estimates that Obama has received money from more than 1,000 donors, a sign of wide interest in his campaign. Schatz said he was not authorized by the national campaign to release details of those smaller contributions.

"It's a measure of grass-roots support and not just fundraising muscle," said Schatz, a former state representative.

State Senate President Colleen Hanabusa, D-21st (Nanakuli, Makaha), who is active in the Clinton campaign in the Islands, said Clinton's state supporters, unlike Obama's, have not started local fundraising. Hanabusa said local fundraising may be specifically tailored to help Clinton in the Islands.

"I think she's doing really well considering that we haven't been asked to raise money and we haven't even tried," Hanabusa said.

Trailing behind Obama and Clinton in Hawai'i were former Democratic Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina with almost $21,764 and Republicans Mitt Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, with $18,210; Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., with $15,690; and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani with $13,876.

Others include New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a Democrat and former congressman, U.N. ambassador and energy secretary, with $9,150; Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, with $5,625; and Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., known for his strong anti-immigration views, with $3,400.

Money from Hawai'i contributors makes up only a tiny fraction of the more than $292 million total that all the presidential candidates have received in their campaigns so far.

Clinton, for example, was the top fundraiser nationally with $62.5 million, followed by Obama with $58.6 million and Romney with $43.5 million. Others high on the list include Giuliani with $35.4 million; McCain, whose campaign is now having financial difficulties, with $25.9 million; and Edwards with $23 million.

Reach Dennis Camire at dcamire@gns.gannett.com.