Republicans, especially Republican donors and influencers (there is sometimes a difference), are unhappy with the choices they've been offered.

Republican donors persistently asked Perry to run for office, and the efforts to draft Perry intensified in July and August 2011 until he decided to run.

Filings show there are far more Republican donors rallying to the side of Mr. Lieberman, who has crisscrossed the country and raised about $5 million since losing the primary, campaign finance records show.

Last week, for instance, the secretary of health and human services, Tommy G. Thompson, welcomed Republican donors to his government office for a meeting that was billed as a "legislative update."

He lost the race by 56% to 44% and returned to the private sector, but has remained active as a Republican political donor.

Many Republican donors are equally convinced of the justice of their cause and are urging Mr. Bush to pursue his quest for the White House by all available means.

But it was not exactly how Republican donors thought their money would be used.

But he is also struggling because many Republican donors believe Mr. Spitzer is a shoo-in, and the early money has not favored Mr. Faso, his own advisers acknowledge.

Until then, he had been a relatively modest and mainly Republican donor.