Dick Cheney to Help Raise Money for Romney in Texas

Former Vice President Dick Cheney will visit Texas next week to raise money for Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, who has already pulled in more than $20 million in the state for his campaign.

There are at least two events scheduled on Oct. 25. One, in Austin, will be held at the home of Austin lobbyists Jay and Sabrina Brown. There’s also one being held the same day in Dallas at the Frontiers of Flight Museum at Love Field in Dallas, according to a report in The Dallas Morning News.

Cheney will be joined at both events by Romney’s son Josh.

At the Austin event, couples who give $25,000 get to participate in a roundtable discussion. A private photo op can be had for $10,000, and those giving $1,000 get lunch.

Proceeds go to Romney Victory Inc., a joint fundraising venture between the candidate’s presidential campaign and various state and national GOP campaign committees.

The fundraising tool allows wealthy donors to give far more than the typical $2,500-per-election limit. The umbrella group collecting the money can transfer funds through state party committees to key battleground states.

President Obama has a similar arrangement with Democratic fundraising entities.

Both Romney and Obama have raised millions in Texas, but the Republican has raised more in hard cash going directly into his campaign, according to Federal Election Commission data. While Romney has raised just over $20 million in Texas, Obama has tallied $14 million.

When combining the direct fundraising for their respective candidate committees, Super PACs and the joint fundraising apparatus that both teams have put in place, nearly $1 billion has been raised for the benefit of each candidate, according to a report in U.S. News and World Report.

After his strong performance in the first presidential debate, Romney's online fundraising went "through the roof," according to fundraising consultant Krystle Alvarado, who explained in a letter obtained by the Sunlight Foundation that the campaign had decided to cancel a separate Oct. 25 fundraiser in Midland that vice-presidential nominee Paul Ryan was going to attend.