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ing federal grants and loan guarantees to alternative energy companies run by Obama backers and donors.
• Obama is expected to sustain his offensive against Romney, claiming the Republican's tax policies would benefit the rich and cost jobs. His re-election campaign continued to draw attention to Romney's time at Bain Capital, the private equity firm he founded in 1984. But Obama's central goal in Texas was to draw in money; he was holding two fundraisers in Austin and two in San Antonio, with an estimated haul of at least $5 million.
• The events came as a top Romney aide floated the possibility Monday that he may name his vice presidential selection by week's end, raising the level of intrigue around what may be Romney's most significant decision before Election Day. But the timing was not certain. Romney senior advisor Eric Fehrnstrom initially said that while Romney had not yet made his pick, the selection could be announced in the coming days. He later downplayed the remark, suggesting the decision could come any time between now and the Republican National Convention at the end of August.
• In choosing Texas to raise money, Obama was traveling to a state that has not voted Democratic in a presidential contest since 1976. But Texas ranks among the states with the largest concentrations of wealth, along with New York, California, Florida and Illinois. Republicans typically raise more in Texas than Democrats. So far this election, Obama has raised $4.5 million from the state and the Democratic National Committee has raised $1.7 million, compared with $7.1 million for Romney (Continued on page 30)
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