DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) – Senator Obama, Democrat of Illinois, raked in $25 million for his presidential bid in the first three months of 2007, placing him on a par with front-runner Senator Clinton of New York and dashing her image as the party’s inevitable nominee.

The donations came from an eye-popping 100,000 donors, the campaign said in a statement Wednesday.

The figure was the latest evidence that Mr. Obama, a political newcomer who has served just two years in the Senate, has emerged as the most powerful new force in presidential politics this year. It also reinforced his status as a significant threat to Mrs. Clinton, who’d hoped her own $26 million first quarter fundraising total would begin to squeeze her rivals out of contention.

The campaign reported that the figure included at least $23.5 million that he can spend on the highly competitive primary race. The Clinton campaign has yet to disclose how much they can use for the primary verses money that is designated for the general election.

While Mrs. Clinton has honed a vast national fundraising network through two Senate campaigns and her husband’s eight years as president, Mr. Obama launched his bid for the White House with a relatively small donor base concentrated largely in Illinois, his home state. But his early opposition to the Iraq war and voter excitement over his quest to be the first black president quickly fueled a powerful fundraising machine.

Since he formally declared his presidential campaign in February, Mr. Obama has been traveling the country with a focus on urban areas where he could build his momentum and bring in new donors. He attracted big-money Hollywood and Wall St. executives along with families who came out to his stops in places like Oklahoma that sometimes are neglected by other candidates.

More than half the donors contributed via the Internet for a total of $6.9 million, the campaign said.

“This overwhelming response, in only a few short weeks, shows the hunger for a different kind of politics in this country and a belief at the grassroots level that Barack Obama can bring out the best in America to solve our problems,” said Mr. Obama’s finance chairwoman Penny Pritzker.

Donors are limited by law to contributions of $2,300 for the primary election, but Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Obama and some other candidates also have been raising money for the general election. That allows them to take another $2,300 from each donor, but the money has to be returned if they don’t win the nomination.

Mrs. Clinton’s campaign often solicited the $4,600 donations, while Mr. Obama’s campaign focused on recruiting small dollar donors. In the coming months, he can return to those donors and ask those who haven’t maxed out to give more.

Mr. Obama was visiting Iowa Wednesday, holding an evening rally at a community college in Mason City.

Among the other Democratic candidates, aides to John Edwards, the former Senator from North Carolina, said his $14 million in new contributions included $1 million for the general election.

New Mexico Governorl Richardson said he had raised $6 million and had more than $5 million cash on hand.

Aides to Senator Dodd of Connecticut said he raised more than $4 million and transferred nearly $5 million from his Senate campaign, for a total of $9 million in receipts and $7.5 million cash on hand. Senator Biden of Delaware lagged behind, with his staff reporting that he had total receipts of nearly $4 million, nearly half of which was transferred from his Senate campaign account.